Trails of Fire
by pendragon94
Summary: AU-Sookie's Gran died when she was young, and out of no where her uncle Fintan shows up, and begins to raise her in Gran's home. She grows up better trained at controlling her telepathy. But when Fintan goes away on business, Sookie goes to Fangtasia with a friend, and meets a certain vampire who turns her life upside down, and helps her to uncover her family's dark past.
1. Chapter 1

**Sookie's Gran died when she was young, and out of no where her uncle Fintan shows up, and begins to raise her in Gran's home. She grows up better trained at controlling her telepathy. But when Fintan goes away on business, Sookie goes to Fangtasia with a friend, and meets a certain vampire who turns her life upside down, and helps her to uncover her family's dark past. There are a lot of things that I wished had gone differently with True Blood, so this story has a lot of slight changes in the later chapters. Mostly small detail stuff, but a couple of large things as well. **

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"Fintan! Are you home?" I called out as I stepped in the front door, and didn't get a reply.

I glanced over at a photograph of Gran as I walked by, and wondered if she was watching over us. She had passed away when I was fifteen years old from a heart attack, and Bud Dearborn had tracked him down as my closest living relative to take care of me. At first I hadn't like him, but then one day he came to get me from school and saved me from a group of bullies calling me 'crazy Sookie', and I had clung to him after that. But of course he had questions, and after a while I had admitted to my abilities.

After he'd learned of my telepathy, he had picked up where Gran had left off, helping me to build shields around myself and block out others. As I got older, I noticed my power getting stronger, and I could listen to people from far away if I wanted to. He encouraged me to use my mind reading as often as I wanted, and to continue pushing for a larger distance that I could reach around myself.

Walking into the kitchen, I immediately noticed the note on the counter next to the refrigerator.

_My dear Sookie, _

_I was called out of town for business, and I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. I hope you are going to be alright without me, but you have my cell phone number if you need anything. There is money in my room, in my special hiding place, in case you need anything expensive. _

_ Fintan_

I just nodded, and tossed the note in the trash can. Ever since I was younger, there were times when he would have to leave for business, and would be gone for weeks at a time. The first time he did it, I had been scared, but I had quickly adjusted. Of course this was the first trip he would be going on in over a year, but it didn't worry me. I had been working at Merlotte's for over a year at that point, and made enough money to support myself without Fintan's help. I wasn't sure what kind of work he did, since he always refused to say. Instead he would say that he preferred to keep his office and home separate.

The phone rang then, and I was surprised to hear Dawn answer me on the other end.

"Sookie! Oh thank goodness. I was wanting to go out tonight, to Shreveport, but I can't get anyone to go with me. Would you go? There's this new bar that's only been open for a year, and I really want to go there." I could hear the excitement in her voice.

"Well…I'm not sure. Weren't you supposed to work tonight anyway?" Dawn had been working for Sam at Merlotte's for longer than me, and had rarely missed a shift.

"No, Arlene requested more hours, so Sam is giving me tonight off. Do you want to go?" She's almost pleading, and after a moment of thought I relent.

"Ok, I'll go. What time are we going?" She cheers lightly, and I can tell she's happy.

"We'll drive together, I can pick you up at eight tonight."

"What kind of bar is it?" I ask as an afterthought, before she hangs up.

"It's a vampire bar!" She squeals in her excitement, and the line goes dead. I stand there for several minutes, before shaking my head.

After the vampires revealed themselves to the world, Fintan had been in a bad mood for days. When I'd asked him, he finally told me that he'd had a bad run in with a vampire several years prior. He had told me that I should never trust a vampire, and never go around them. But what Fintan didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

I trotted upstairs, and started to pick out different outfits.

Just after seven-thirty her car pulled up, and I opened the door as she ran up the stairs. She smiled at what I had chosen to wear, and I looked her over. She was wearing a long sleeved sheer white top with a black tank top underneath, and dark red leather pants, which contrasted drastically from what I was wearing. I wondered if she realized that she'd have vampires following her around by the dozen.

"You look good, I like those shoes." She tells me, and I follow her out to her car.

"You look good too; maybe you'll even meet a man tonight." I tell her, and she starts the car.

Dawn smiled, and put the car into drive, pulling away from my house.

We pulled into the parking lot, and I cringed at the sight of the people lined up outside the bar. "Are you sure I look fine?" I asked her, and she looked me over. I had worn a white dress with red flowers printed on it, and a pair of white sandals.

"Here." She says, and helps me pull my hair out of its perfect pony tail. Then we walk up to the entrance, and get in line. It takes almost half an hour before it's our turn to go in, and the blond woman there gives me chills.

"What do we have here?" She leers, and looks me up and down slowly. I give her my ID, and after checking my birthday, she hands it back and I walk in. When I step into the door, it's like I'm in a whole new world. The décor is the cheesiest vampire themed place I've seen, with everything in either black or blood red colors. We go up to the bar, and a man with long black hair and a sullen expression took our orders and returned with them a few seconds later. I make sure not to touch anyone, and it's all I can do to keep my shields up fully.

After finding an empty booth, we settle down, and watch the going-ons of the place. It seemed like most of them were human, but a few who skulked in the corners looked like they could be vampires. My eyes drifted over the room, and landed on a stage with a chair like a throne in the center of it. On both sides of the throne were black leather chairs, and I wondered who all would sit there. Dawn had said that this was a special vampire bar, and I wondered what made it special, other than the vampire part.

We only sat in solitude for several minutes, before a man with short jet black hair scooted into the seat next to Dawn. "Hello Sweetie, are you here with anyone?" He asks, and there's a strange droning sound in his voice.

"No." She says, and he smiles to himself then looks at me for a second.

"Who's this?" He asks her, barely casting me a glance.

"She's no one. It's me you want. She doesn't even want to be here." There's desperation in Dawn's voice, and carefully I peek into her head, only lowering my shields enough to get through to no one else. I'm surprised when a strange haze seems to cloud her thoughts, and all she can imagine is herself drinking vampire blood. I gag slightly at the sight in her head, and quickly recede back behind my barrier.

"Well then, how about we get out of here?" She nods, and he takes her hand and stands. She follows him, and I get up behind them.

"How am I supposed to get home?" I ask, and she ignores me. When they are out the door, I collapse into the booth, speechless. A few minutes later I get my cell phone out, intending to call Sam, but am disappointed to find that it's out of power.

Going up to the bar, I am greeted by the same bartender as earlier, except now he has his fangs out. They're barely visible, but shine pure white. "Um…can I please use the phone?"

He shakes his head, and points toward the front door. "Not my decision, since the public one is broke. Ask the lady in charge about the one in the back." I realize that he means the blond who had carded me, and I go to find her. She's still at the door, and when she sees me coming she smiles.

"Hello again, ready for round two?" She sneers when I cringe.

"Actually, can I use the phone? The girl I came with left with someone else and I need to find a ride home. The bartender said the public phone was broken." She frowns, and rolls her eyes.

"Whatever, come with me." She put a nervous woman with short blond hair in her place, and motioned for me to follow her. We ended up going through an 'Employees Only' door, and stopped in a short hallway in front of a black door. Lifting her hand she knocks once quickly, and I hear a voice inside.

"Enter." When the door swings open, she saunters in and I walk slowly behind her. A handsome blond man is sitting behind a large solid wood desk. He looks up from the computer that he's typing on, and studies me over for a moment before glancing at the blond woman. "I'm not hungry." His voice is flat, and my heart skips a beat as I realize what he's thinking.

"No, I'm not a…donor or whatever. I just need to use a phone." I speak up quickly, and the woman gives me a look that could kill.

He nods and points to it, before ignoring me and returning to his work.

I dial the only number that I can easily remember, and wait for an answer. "Merlotte's." I can't help but smile since I recognize the voice.

"Arlene, is Sam around?" I notice that the man next to me has stopped working, and seems to be listening.

After a minute, the other end of the line was noisy, and then I heard him. "Sookie, what's going on?" His voice is more concerned than it should be, and I blush slightly. I knew he'd liked me for a long time, but he's never directly said anything to me about it.

"Dawn left me without a way home at a bar in Shreveport; can you come and get me?" He goes quiet, and seems to be thinking for a few seconds.

"Yeah, but I'll be a while, is that okay?" He asks, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Yes, thank you so much for this." I can hear him laugh slightly, and he seems to think of something.

"What bar are you at?" From the tone of his voice I can tell he's bored, and I wonder if it's a slow night at his diner.

"Fangtasia, the vampire bar." Silence follows, and then the line goes dead.

I put it back on the receiver slowly, unsure of what that could have meant, and looked up to see blue eyes staring at me.

"What are you to the mutt?" The blond man asks, and I don't know how to respond.

"What are you talking about?" He just shakes his head, and says something in a foreign language to the woman who is still standing inside the door. She nods with a smile before leaving, and closing the door behind her.

"What are you to Sam Merlotte?" He says, and I shrug.

"I'm one of his waitresses." I turn to leave, but he speaks up before I can take two steps.

"You can wait in here until the...man arrives." Looking over, I see a leather couch, and sit down before he says anything else.

After a while he starts to type into his computer again, and I wonder if he's bored. He seems engrossed in his work, and I decide to take advantage of the situation. Closing my eyes, I open my shields, and the bubble around me swells to include the entire bar instantly.

The thoughts of the humans within the bar are predictable, with all of them hoping to find sex or beer. But when I glance through one of the minds, something catches my attention; _I hope she got our V._ The thought reverberates in my skull, and I wonder what it could mean. Filing the question away for later, I move on, and continue to tip toe through the minds. When I'm pulling my shields back, I am suddenly surprised to see a sort of…void. Pushing toward it, I try to listen to the person's thoughts, but they are silent. All I hear is a peaceful quiet, and I embrace it happily. I relax, holding onto the void, and open my eyes.

I am shocked to see the blond man staring at me, and I realize the void is coming from him. "I can't hear you." The words tumble out of my mouth, and I am stunned at the reality of them. Never had I met someone that I couldn't hear. One of his eyebrows rises, and he continues to stare at me.

"I didn't say anything." He says, and looks confused.

"It's not that I can't hear you, it's just that I can't _hear _you. What are you?" I ask, and suddenly he's in my face, with glistening white fangs protruding from his mouth. Without thought, a reach up and touch one, and it's like a bolt of lightning has passed through me. He growls, and I lean back, putting my hands in my lap. "I'm sorry; I don't know what…that was."

But as I sink further into the couch, he follows my movement. "I am a vampire. What are you?" He demands, and my voice shakes as I speak.

"I-I'm just a waitress." I stutter, and his hand is suddenly around my throat.

"What are you?" He roars, and the blond woman suddenly bursts in. "Get out." He yells at her, and she disappears. Once she's gone, he looks back at me with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm telepathic." I admit in a quiet voice, and then quickly add to my statement. "But I can't hear you. I don't know why…maybe it's because you're a vampire."

After a second he stands up straight, and his fangs are hidden away in an instant. "Telepathic?" He asks incredulously.

"Yes, for as long as I can remember." I say, and it's like a weight has lifted off of my shoulders. The only people who ever knew that I was telepathic were my closest family and Fintan. Because of Fintan's help I had learned to control it when I was young, and I hadn't been called 'crazy Sookie' for a long time. Of course in a small town like Bon Temps, the rumors still circulated that I was different in some way, but very few believed in it. It was rare that I would lose my control, and I had never had a slipup in public. Telling this stranger the truth was like a relief, and the weighted feeling of burden that I usually had from keeping my secrets disappeared. I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I trusted him for some unknown reason, and I couldn't help myself from talking.

I told him everything.

Everything I knew about my abilities came spilling out without hesitation, and he listened, not interrupting once. By the time I finished, he was sitting in his chair, and staring off into space. We sat in quiet for a long time, before he finally spoke up. "What are you? Your abilities can't just come from nowhere."

"I don't know. My parents were human, and so were their parents as far as I know." He nods, taking this in, and suddenly he's on the computer.

"What were your parents and grandparents names?" I take a moment to remember all their names, and list them off. The clicks from his keyboard resound through the room as he types them into something. "What about your great-grandparents?" He asks intently, and I shake my head.

"I don't know for sure. I'm pretty sure that one of my great-grandmother's a Brigant, but that's all I know." The look on his face was as though someone has punched him in the gut.

"Brigant? Are you sure?"

"Well, Gran mentioned her a couple of times, and she always just called her my 'grandma Brigant'. But I don't know her first name or anything else about her." I remembered one of the times when I had helped Gran in her garden, and she had mentioned how grandma Brigant had started it. She'd told me that when my great-grandmother had died, a part of the garden had withered away. She said the flowers had never been quite as bright every summer.

"Sookie, is there any way you can find out her name?" He asks, and I think for a moment.

"Gran had a lot of stuff that's in my attic now. I work the day shift tomorrow, but I'll check it after that. Do you really think grandma Brigant could be behind my telepathy?" How could someone in my family that I had never met be so important to my life?

"Yes, I certainly do." He seemed so sure of himself, that I wondered if it could be true.

I opened my mouth to respond, when his office door burst open. Sam stood there, his face red, and Pam stepped up behind him. "He insisted on coming in."

"No dogs allowed." The blond man's voice was stern and he and Sam stared each other down for a moment.

"Let's go Sookie." Sam said, breaking eye contact with him, and looking at me.

I nod, standing up and look over to see him holding something out to me. I take the card with his name and phone number on it, and he smiles. "My name is Eric, call if you want to continue our discussion."

Sam snorts, and I follow him out to his truck. We stay in silence until we reach the highway, and he finally starts. "What were you doing there?"

"Dawn invited me to a night out, and I rode with her. Then she left with some vampire, and didn't even seem to care when I asked her how I would get home." I remembered something I had heard on the radio, and continued before he could speak. "Do you think he hypnotized her? I think they can do that to people."

He sighed, "Probably…they tend to make people forget after they feed on them."

Nothing more leaves his mouth, and I let down my shields after a moment, reaching out. _Dammit, I'm going to tear Dawn a new ass when I see her tomorrow. How could she do that to Sookie? I'd never do that. She'd be my entire world if she picked me. _I leave his mind as it starts to swirl toward unpleasant thoughts. Sam had never openly admitted his attraction to me, and I was glad that I already knew, but I said anything. He was nice and all, but I'd never felt like he was anything more than a close friend. Nearly half way back, I can sense his thoughts getting curious and jealous at the same time. "Why did Eric give you his card before we left?"

"He offered to help me trace some of my family history." I had hoped he would forget about that part, and not ask.

"Sookie, no matter what he says, don't listen to him! He's a womanizing bloodsucker with nothing better to do than hurt you. Don't let him trick you!" Turning to him, I know my mouth is open, and I'm slightly upset.

"Do you really think that I'd let…_that_ happen with someone I only just met?" I asked, shocked at his accusation.

"No!" He hurried to say, "I just don't want you to get hurt. He's no good for you, and you shouldn't go anywhere near him."

"Sam, I will go around whoever I want. Eric was the only person who showed any interest in me tonight, and if I want to talk to him then I will. You have no right to tell me what I should do with my time." My agitation was on the verge of becoming anger, and he didn't respond.

The rest of the ride was silent, and when we pulled into my driveway, I got immediately out. He didn't follow me, but simply left as I moved toward my front door. As soon as I was inside, I went up the stairs and changed into a nice sleepwear set that Fintan had gotten me for my last birthday.

Looking at the clock, I was surprised to see that it was almost one in the morning. I had just laid down, when I heard a knock at my front door.

I grumbled to myself about the time as I marched down the stairs, and flung the door wide open. The man standing there was handsome, with dark hair and a hint of stubble on his chin. "Can I help you?" I asked, when he didn't tell me why he'd come to my house at two in the morning.

He smiled, "I'm sorry, I sometimes forget that not everyone is up this late. But I just stopped by to introduce myself, as I just moved into the house across the cemetery. My name is Bill Compton."

His hand extended, and I shook it after a second of hesitation. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse. I thought the last of the Compton family had already passed."

"No, I am the last. I was made vampire during the civil war, and when Jesse Compton passed, the house reverted to me as the only remaining air." His expression seemed troubled, but I didn't press it, and admired him for admitting the truth so easily. I had taken an uneasy step backwards when he'd said what he was, and he eyed me warily for a second, before continuing to smile.

"Well, it was nice to meet you and all, but it's late for me." I told him, hoping he would realize that I didn't want him there. Something about the way he looked at me had me uneasy, and I made a mental note to ask Eric about him the next time we talked.

"Of course, have a good night." He told me, and turned to leave.

I closed the door after him, and returned to the bed.

Nobody disturbed me the rest of the night, and I slept until almost noon the next day.

I started to make myself breakfast, when Jason entered the room. He had always gotten along well with Fintan, but when he'd turned eighteen, he had moved into our parent's old house. They had become more distant to each other over time, but he didn't mind when Jason stopped by.

"Hey Sis, what 'cha making me?" I roll my eyes and smile.

"Breakfast, so sit down and be good." I told him, and he chuckled.

"Yes ma'am." He said, and sat down.

I was already working on the sausage, when he started to speak. "So last night when I was at Merlotte's, Arlene said you called, and then Sam had taken off like a bat out of hell. What happened?"

I recounted the story of going to the bar with Dawn, and he seemed genuinely angry when I told him she'd left me there. "Son-of-a-bitch, don't worry Sook. I'll talk to her. She never should have left you there all alone with a bunch of drunk guys." Without comment, I continued cooking, and didn't elaborate on just what kind of bar I'd been to.

As soon as the plate touched down in front of him, he dug in, and finished quickly when I wasn't even half way done. "Thanks sis, but I gotta go to work. Call me if you have any more problems with Dawn." He says, and hurries out. Him and some of his high school friends all worked for the same construction company, and worked on whatever projects the city came up with.

I spent the day doing odd jobs around the house, and even ended up washing the windows. At dusk, I grabbed my phone and Eric's card, and waited for the sky to go black. I couldn't explain why, but I felt as though I should call him as soon as I could. It was supposed to be a warm night, so I ended up walking out to the porch swing with the cordless phone. As soon the sun dropped over the horizon, I dialed the number and listened to the ringing.

He answered a moment later, and I couldn't help but smile when he did. "Yes?" The question was evident in his voice, and I remembered that most cell phones didn't have caller ID.

"This is Sookie, I met you last night, and you said to call if I still wanted help finding out more about my family."

"Yes, have you located the name of your great-grandmother?" I started to wonder if he was always so straight to the point.

"No, I had planned to do it in a little while, and wondered if you would come help me?" Where the HELL did that come from? I couldn't believe that I had just said that. "There's a lot of stuff in the attic, and I'm sure we'd get through it faster if we worked together." I was unable to stop myself from babbling like an idiot.

"I would be delighted, so where do you live?" He asked, and I could hear a suggestive tone to his voice.

Rolling my eyes, I told him my address, and suddenly remembered a question that I had wanted to ask him. "Do you know a vampire named Bill Compton?" I asked him, and it was hard to miss the sudden unhappiness in his voice.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"He's my new next door neighbor." I said without thought, and I thought I heard him growling less than a second later.

"Stay away from him Sookie, he's not safe." My mind told me that I should protest, but for some reason I felt as though Eric's words had meaning. Remembering the uneasiness I had felt toward him the night before, I decided to hear what he had to say.

I was about to question him about what he meant, when suddenly a figure appeared on the edge of my lawn from the direction of the cemetery. Immediately I recognized who it was. "Eric, he's here." I say, and a large rumbling reverberates from the other end of the connection.

"Go inside and stay there." He says, and I stand to go to my front door. "I'll be there soon." He promises, and the line is suddenly dead.

"Miss Stackhouse, it's a pleasure to see you again tonight. I had hoped we could really get to know each other." I stepped into the house, and turned to face him. As soon as his eyes caught mine, I could feel a strange pressure in my head, and wondered if he was trying to hypnotize me. "Would you like to go for a walk?" His voice had a strange drawl to it, and I remembered the same thing from the vampire who had taken Dawn when we were at Fangtasia.

"No, I'm actually waiting for someone to arrive." I tell him, stepping further back from the door.

"Then, would you want to invite me into your home and we can talk?" The strange tone is still in his voice, and he looks surprised when I shake my head.

"I said no, so please leave." I tell him, and he looks surprised that I resisted him.

"I'm sorry if I have offended you in some way, but I just wanted to see if I could get your help." He sounds pleading, and the only drawl remaining in his voice is a thick southern accent.

"Help?" I ask, and he smiles happily.

"Yes, you see my house is in need of rebuilding in certain areas, and I seem to be having some trouble getting ahold of a contractor. None of the ones I have tried will accept calls at night. I wondered if you would call someone during the day, and set up for them to come give me estimates at night. I need a plumber, electrician, and a contractor." Plan after plan runs through my head, and finally I pick one.

"I'll do it, but after I do you are going to leave me alone, okay?" I continue to frown at him, and step into the front door. I'm nearly across the threshold, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you." His voice is right behind me, and I tear from his grip, hurrying inside.

"Don't do that." I tell him, and he frowns.

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize it would make you uncomfortable. I will wait to hear from you tomorrow night." He takes a step back, and suddenly he's thrown across the yard.

Eric looks at me, appraising my state of being, and turns back to Bill. "Why have you not reported to me yet?" The shorter man stands quickly, and stares at Eric in anger, but restrains himself.

"I'm sorry sheriff. I only just moved in a couple of days ago, and have not yet needed to go to Shreveport." Bill's voice is annoyed, and suddenly Eric has him by the throat and lifts him into the air.

"No _need?_ What you _need_ is of no concern to me, but I promise that if you do not report your actions to me in the future, then I will kill you. No be gone, and stay away from this human." Eric's voice is like acid, and every word burns Bill to the core.

When he's dropped to the ground, Eric moves to stand next to me, and Bill disappears through the trees. "Did he touch you?" He asks me, and there's a strange intensity to his voice.

"Only for a second, when I was trying to get inside. I think he was trying to hypnotize me." I say it, only to realize just how silly it sounds a second later.

"Do you mean Glamour?" He asks with a growl, and I nod, making him growl louder. "Would you like to invite me in?"

I step in, and motion for him to follow, but he only just stands there.

"You have to directly invite a vampire inside, or he cannot enter a human household." I can tell he's annoyed, and I wonder if it's because of myself or Bill.

"Eric, would you like to come in?" I ask, and he nods, stepping in past me. He looks around the house, obviously being critical of the state of the place. Shaking my head slightly, I realize that he must be used to the best things that money can buy, whereas every piece of furniture in my house is over twenty years old. Fintan at one time had offered to update everything, but I had declined, still attached to the old stuff. Gran had always said that if something wasn't broken, then it shouldn't be fixed, and I had taken that to heart. I rarely ever bought new clothes unless an old article became to worn out to be of use anymore. He ends up settling in the cushioned chair that used to be Gran's favorite, and I smile because he looks much too big to fit there comfortably. After I set down across from him on the couch, he leans forward, and opens his mouth.

"Bill Compton, as young as he is, is not someone that you should go near. He is never honest in his reasons for doing things, and he has slaughtered countless humans needlessly. He and his maker once killed every person in an entire hotel just because they were out to have a good time." I balk at the new information, and immediately regret agreeing to help Bill. Eric notices my change in mood, and lifts an eyebrow in question.

"I promised that I would call some companies for him tomorrow, and set up meetings for him at night to get his house refurbished. I'm sorry, I didn't know that he was so dangerous, or I wouldn't have done it. I told him that I'd do it, only as long as he didn't bother me anymore, and he agreed." Eric nods, and thinks for a minute.

"This could work in our favor, as long as he stays true to his side of the bargain." He stands with a sly smile, and looks toward the foyer. "Now I believe you originally called because you needed my help with something?"

"Yes." I say, and lead him up to the attic. He slows down slightly when we pass my open bedroom door, and I sigh when he gives me a cocky grin, but ignore it. When I pull the ladder down, he goes up first, and offers his hand to help me up. It takes a moment for me to find the light switch, and when I finally have the bulbs turned on, I look around. The room is full of old furniture and boxes, and I take him over to one of the corners. "I remember putting all of Gran's old photo albums and pictures of the family in a single box, so we just need to find the one marked 'pictures'." He nods, and together we start opening box after box looking for the appropriate one.


	2. Chapter 2

We've been searching for half an hour, when I suddenly see the box, slightly behind a tall empty china cabinet. "It's over here!" I say, and turn to see Eric standing there, covered in dust. He looks up at me, and when he sees the box he smiles. After moving several things out of the way, I grab the box, and begin to pull it out from behind the china cabinet. A chill runs through me when I feel the cabinet become unbalanced, and begin to tip toward me. Throwing my hands up, I give a useless attempt to stop the falling piece of furniture, and suddenly I am out of the way and I look over to see Eric righting the cabinet. "Thank you." I finally manage, and he just snorts, grabbing the box from its place. We make a path back to the ladder, and he follows me with the large box down to the dining room table.

Once the tape is off I open the flaps, and immediately know I've got what I needed. On top of everything is a large photo of Gran when she was young, along with another significant member of the family. "This is her, Grandma Brigant." I point to one of the few people I recognize, and he leans closer. In the photograph, it's some holiday in the summer, and everyone is gathered outside the new farmhouse of the time. The person in question looks to be about in her late 40s to early 50s, and has her hair piled up neatly on top of her head. She's wearing a long light colored dress, and has her hands clasped in front of her while she shows the camera the smallest of smiles. My immediate instinct tells me that I should trust this woman, and that she looks truly happy. I peer closer, trying to find someone else. "Grandma Brigant's husband died somewhere in this time frame…no, he's not here. Gran once mentioned that he died not long after this farmhouse was finished being built. So I always try to find him, because that gives me a nice timeframe to have in mind. I've only seen him in one picture with the house."

"When did _she_ die?" He asks, pointing to the picture of my great-grandmother.

"No one knows. According to what Gran had told me, she became depressed not long after her husband passed from disease. Little by little she withdrew from the family, and moved several times, until finally she never contacted anyone again. It was like she just disappeared off of the planet." I move my attention to the woman next to her, and bring his attention to her. "This is her sister. She died at a really old age, and no one really knows where she's buried. At one point she got married, no one in the family liked him, and he put her body somewhere other than Bon Temp cemetery." Eric takes out his cell phone, and types a long message before hitting send.

"What else is there?" He asks, and lifts out the large photograph, uncovering everything else. We begin to sort through all the old pictures and documents, putting everything involving a Brigant into a separate pile. By two in the morning, the box is nearly empty, and there are three large piles on the table. One has everything about my grandma Brigant from when she was alive, while another had all the things from after she died, and the third was all of the things that simply mentioned her.

We make constant small talk as we work, asking each other personal questions and overall just having a friendly conversation. A strange sensation comes over me in the middle of it all, and I realize it's the first good talk I've had with someone in a long time. I'd always been able to hear the thoughts of anyone I was talking to, and it was a pleasant relief not to know what was happening in the man's head. He spoke smoothly, and I wondered just how many people spent time just talking to him when it wasn't business. From the way he'd acted at Fangtasia, I could tell it wasn't often.

I'm just pulling one of the last things out of the box, when a knock resounds on my door.

Eric goes ahead of me, and I am surprised to see the blond vampire that had been stationed outside of Fangtasia's main entrance when I was there. She hands something to Eric, and he smiles at her. "Pam, this is Ms. Stackhouse."

"We've met." She says, and quirks an eyebrow at me, before returning her attention to Eric. "Let me know when you're done with this one, and I'll find another." I see red at her words, and Eric is quick to get rid of her before I let loose with my anger.

He takes her outside, and when he comes back a minute later, she is gone. His face betrays only boredom, and he acts like nothing happened until I give him a pointed look and he sighs.

"Do not blame her for acting like that; it is really my own fault. She is my only child, and no one but her has received my continuous attention since before she was made…she is spoiled." He moves over to the table, and I watch him with an open mouth.

"Your _child_?" I had never pictured him as the fatherly type, and hearing him say that he has a child shocks me a little.

"Yes, I made her in the early nineteen-hundreds and although she is arrogant and lazy, she is quite efficient and ruthless. She does well for me." I can hear a subtle pride in his voice, and I can tell that he cares for her more than he'd like to admit. I'd never really met her, and wondered if she acted like she did all the time, or if it was just a mood for her. It wouldn't surprise me if she was jealous, given what Eric had said about her age and the attention she'd received from him for so long. Suddenly I realized I had no idea how old Eric was, and I wondered just how long he'd been around.

I refrained from asking, since it was probably rude to him, and instead moved onto a lighter subject. "How long have you been in Louisiana?" He paused, seeming to think for a moment.

"I was in this area when it was newly discovered for several decades, and returned about twenty years ago to accept the job as Sheriff of Area 5." His voice is nonchalant, but he leaves me with more questions than answers. Was he really around when the US was discovered, or was he kidding? I could never tell from his demeanor what he would say next, and I wondered if he was just playing with me.

"Sheriff of Area 5?" I ask, and he looks up at me with surprise for a moment. He had been so immersed in the papers he was sorting that he hadn't realized what he'd said. Staring back down at the pictures and documents, he starts explaining.

"Apart from the American Government, we vampires have our own political structure within each state and country. We govern our own kind separate from humanity, with our own laws and rules. Each state of this country has a queen or king, or both, and beneath them are the Sheriffs who run their appointed areas. Among the vampire community, we were all aware of the reveal for a long time. I was offered the job as Sheriff, so I accepted, and planned for Fangtasia to open not long after our reveal to the world." I couldn't believe how honest he was being.

"Should I know any of this?" I ask, and he smiles wryly.

"No, probably not. I trust that you will not share this information, or there will be severe consequences." His tone is joking, but I can hear an undercurrent of seriousness, and I feel like shuttering. He pulls the last thing out of the box, and puts it into its according pile. Going outside, he returns after a minute with several small boxes, and quickly divides the piles of paperwork into them. "If you don't mind, I would like to take these things with me. I will return them when I'm done." I nod my consent, and he lifts the boxes in a stack. When I open the front door for him, I see that a shiny black Mercedes has appeared in my driveway, and I assume Pam left it for him. The trunk opens on its own, and he puts the boxes inside, arranging them so they don't tip and spill over.

We end up in the kitchen, and are continuing our conversation at the table, when I hear a truck pull in.

I can't imagine who could be showing up at my house after two in the morning, and Eric follows me out to the front porch. Sam is just getting out of his truck when we step outside, and from the look on his face, he's furious. "What the hell is going on?" He asks, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and Eric.

"None of your business, mutt." Eric sneers, and Sam looks ready to kill. I move away from Eric, and toward the steps of the porch.

"What are you doing here Sam?" I ask, ignoring Eric.

"I got a call from someone down the road; they said your lights were still on in the house and that a strange car had been parked here for a while. So I decided to come see if you're okay. I'm glad I did." He stares at Eric, and I bring his attention back to myself.

"Believe me; I am perfectly safe with Eric. I wouldn't have invited him here if I thought he meant to hurt me… I trust him. " I added the last part after a moment of hesitation, finally admitting to myself that it was true. Deep down I already trusted Eric with my life, even though I didn't know why.

My boss looked appalled. "Sookie, it's a trick. He's putting things in your head against your will, and you don't even know it yet."

"He can't do that." I say it without thought, and of course the conversation turns in that direction.

"How do you know?" He demands.

I hesitate, never having been comfortable talking to Sam about my ability. When I had first worked at Merlotte's, it hadn't been long before I had slapped several men for things I heard in their thoughts. Finally after being questioned so many times, I had admitted to Sam that I could read minds. He'd always wanted to know more, but I'd never told him anything beyond the basics. "Because we both know, that I'm… different." I say, and he frowns, glancing at Eric.

"Sookie, you shouldn't talk about that in front of _him_." He says pointedly, and I roll my eyes.

"Sam, Eric is the only person that has never judged me for being different. He knows everything, even more than you, and instead of criticizing me he's trying to help me understand where my disability comes from." Eric smirks, and I realize that he hasn't said anything beyond his first comment. He's letting me stand up for myself by hashing it out with Sam uninterrupted, and I'm grateful.

"How…" Sam is at a loss for words, and takes a second to compose himself. "Sookie, he is going to end up getting you killed. Once you go into their world, you're never going to come out. They will hold you in a cell somewhere, and I won't be able to help you then. So please, let me help you now." He comes half way up the stairs, and reaches out to take my hand.

"I'm not leaving with you Sam." I tell him, and tug slightly on his hold of my hand. His grip shifts to my wrist, and he sets his shoulder.

"This is for your own good. I can't let you stay near him and get yourself killed." He pulls on me to come with him, and I frown.

"No." I say forcefully, trying to pull back away from him.

He pulls harder, and I can't help but whimper in pain when the joint twists awkwardly. But as soon as the sound leaves my lips, Sam is suddenly gone, and I turn to see Eric holding him in the air by his throat. "Miss Stackhouse would like if you left now." He growls out, obviously restraining himself, and I can just see his fangs poking out.

He releases him, and Sam stumbles to his truck. Without a word he gets in, and gives me another wistful look before driving away. "It seems that I have caused some… difficulty for you." He's still seething, and I just sigh.

"Sam has always been odd about the men I see outside of work. He says that he's just trying to keep me safe, but I know it's because he wants to be with me." I admit it without thought, and wonder if Sam knows that I know about his feelings toward me.

"Well, since our business is finished here, I think I shall leave as well." Eric tells me, and I can't help but be slightly disappointed. "Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any problems with Merlotte." He walks down to his car, and opens the door, before looking back at me. "I'll get ahold of you if I find anything conclusive." I realize that he's talking about my heritage, and I just smile and nod.

I clean up the house quickly, before getting a shower and lying down to sleep. I lay there for a long time, simply thinking over everything, and it's close to dawn before I finally drift off.

When I wake up the next day, it's almost four in the afternoon, and I find Jason in the kitchen. "How long have you been here?" I ask him, and he just shrugs.

"We got rained out of the job a while ago, and I wasn't doin' nothin' else, so I decided to come see what you're doing." I look outside, and see that the sky is dark grey. Rain is pouring down, and only just then do I notice the patter of it on the outside of the house.

"Oh, well I won't be around long. I have to go to work at five." He nods, and looks down, as though he's embarrassed. I roll my eyes, and go to the fridge. "Yes, I'll make you something to eat before I leave." He smiles, and I can't help but laugh. "You're helpless." I tell him as I start cooking.

While he's eating, I go and get ready for work, and he leaves right before I do.

When I pull into the parking lot, I can tell that the dinner rush has already started, and hurry to start my tables. Work progresses steadily until dark, and then more people rush in. I'm surprised to see so many people on a week night, and don't get a break for several hours. It's nearly nine when I'm in the cooler arranging some boxes, and it dawns on me that I hadn't seen Sam the whole night. Arlene had mentioned at one point that he'd been holed up in his office doing paperwork, and I wondered if he was just avoiding me.

Suddenly I hear Lafayette call out and ask me to get him something, and I pick up the crate. It's heavier than I expected, but nothing I can't handle, and I carry it out through the heavy door. I'm about to set it on the table, when I slip on the wet floor, and I let go of the box to try and catch myself. The crate collides with a few plates on the table, breaking them, and I tumble down into a mess. I feel a sharp pain in my wrist, and Lafayette rushes to get Sam before I can stop him.

When he comes in, I'm still on the floor, and his face falls. I grimace when he takes my hand to help me up. Seeing my pain, he takes me to his office, and fits me with a removable brace. It feels better, and he recommends that I take Tylenol for my pain. We say little beyond his medical advice, and I return to work quickly. I'm just picking up the dishes from a vacated table, when I glance over, and notice Arlene staring at the front door. Turning, I'm stunned to see Eric standing there.

He looks around the room, until he sees meet, and I motion for him to wait. After dropping my tray of dirty dishes into the kitchen sink, I go out, and seat him at my closest booth to the bar. "What can I get for you?" I ask politely, and he smiles suggestively.

"I'll just have a warm True Blood, type doesn't matter." He stops me as I go to get him the drink. "When do you get off?"

I look up at the clock, and am surprised to see how late it is, and little time I have left to work. "In about an hour." He nods, and I bring him a True Blood a couple of minutes later.

"Can I get you anything else?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"This will be all I need. Go about your work." He says, and I walk away, shaking my head in annoyance.

"Who is that?" Arlene demands when I get back to the bar. I can tell she's been eyeing him up and down, and it's not surprising that she likes him.

"Just a friend of mine, he came to…pick me up from work. I gave him the wrong time by accident." I lie smoothly, and I wonder if she believes it. From the way she turns to stare at him again, I think she does.

I look at him as well, and let my barrier down just in time to catch a wave of panic from the kitchen. Lafayette's mindset goes from cooking to near panic as he sees Eric sitting at the booth, and I delve deeper into his thoughts. _Oh shit! I hope he isn't here to see me, or I'm dead. _I see a flash of him selling something to several of the local teenagers, and he thinks of the name _V_.

Thinking back, I remember that someone in Eric's bar had been thinking about V, and I wondered if it had something to do with vampires. Perhaps it was illegal.

Lafayette calmed himself down, and reassured himself that he wasn't in trouble, while I tried to push through the rest of the hour. It moved slower than any single hour that I could remember.

Eric's eyes rarely left me the whole time, and I wondered if he got annoyed when I left his line of sight. Taking my apron back to Sam's office, I put it in my bin, and grabbed my purse. He didn't say anything as I walked out, and proceeded back to the bar. I was about to pass a table of half-drunken men when I caught one of their thoughts, and it was too late to stop him. He reached out, and I jumped when he grabbed my butt. I turned around to give him a solid slap, when suddenly Eric was there, lifting the man from his chair by the arm. His fangs were out, and the drunken man sobered suddenly. Eric's grip must have been harsh, because the man's face was contorted in pain.

"I would suggest that you apologize to her, before I break you in half." Everyone in the bar had gone silent, and stared at the menacing vampire next to me.

"I-I'm sorry." The man stuttered out, and was then dropped back into his chair.

"Eric!" I said, and he looked at me. "Put those away, please." I whispered harshly, and he did as I asked.

I walked toward the front door, and he followed, with all of the people in the bar watching us closely. The rain had stopped sometime in the last couple of hours, but puddles littered the parking lot, and I did my best to avoid them as I walked to my car. Eric followed, and when I got to my car, I turned to face him. "Why did you do that?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

"That human needed to be taught not to grab at you." He said matter of factly, and I shook my head, although I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks." I said after a moment, "But don't you do that again." He grinned widely, and suddenly he was pushing me against the car. His lips met mine, and I could only protest for a moment before I lost sense of why I was fighting.


	3. Chapter 3

His hands held me against him, and for a moment, I let myself be pulled into the act. He released after a moment, so that I could take a breath, but continued to kiss me on the neck. I could felt something poke me, and I knew his fangs were out, but I didn't care. When he leaned up, I heard him growl into my ear. "Mine." It took a moment before I realized what he said, and then I pushed him back.

"What the hell does that mean?" I asked, and his fangs disappeared, replaced by a serious look on his face.

"It means that no other vampire can touch you. To do so, would be a crime, and I could have them punished. In my world, you are not seen as an equal. You need to belong to somebody, or else you'll be taken by everybody. You won't be safe around other vampires unless I know that I can trust you not to argue when I say that you are mine." I think it over for a moment, and despite the way it sounds, I finally nod.

"I guess that sounds reasonable. Does that mean we're dating now?" Despite the calm voice I used, my heart had kicked it up a notch when I had asked him the question. I found myself hoping to receive a particular answer.

"Yes… I guess it does." He has a small smile on his face.

I can't help but be elated, smile at him. "That's good, or I imagine a few people would start to wonder why we keep doing this."

"Doing wh-" I cut him off when I lean up and quickly give him a kiss.

He grins when I release him, and I open the car door next to me. "Now I want to go home, so what are you going to do?"

"I'll accompany you, but once I'm sure you're safe for the night, I will need to leave to go to Fangtasia. I have some work to catch up on." It's almost comical when the tall man gets into my small car, but somehow he manages to squeeze in. We're almost half way to my house when something occurs to me.

"What is V?" He seems surprised by my question, but answers it quickly.

"V is vampire blood. When it's ingested by a human, it has strong effects similar to that of illegal drugs. But apart from the addiction rate, there isn't any real harm that it will do you. It would increase your libido, and you'd seem stronger and healthier. It's also highly illegal in both the human and supernatural world. Many of my kind see our blood as sacred, and to shed it for a human is seen as sacrilege. We may offer it willingly to others, if that is what we choose, but to have it taken from us against our will is an unforgivable act. Many vampires now dedicate their time to tracking down V dealers and vampire drainers and handling them according to our laws." I absorb everything, and I fear the answer to my next question.

"What's the punishment for draining a vampire, or dealing V?" He looks out the window, and I feel like he doesn't want to tell me the next part.

"The punishment is almost always death." In my heart, I feel sorry for Lafayette as I realize the suffering that his at home activities could cause him. "Why do you ask?" He presses, and I think quickly.

"When I was in your bar, I heard someone in the main area thinking about it, and I didn't know what it was." He looks at me sharply, as though he had just thought of something.

"How would you like to work for me?" He asks, and I'm not sure what to say, so he continues, "You wouldn't have to do much, just sit in my bar a few nights a week, and listen for anyone that might cause trouble for me and the bar. We can work it around your schedule at Merlotte's, and I'll pay you plentifully." If I hadn't been as focused on him as I was, I doubt I would have caught the hint of hopefulness in his voice.

I think about it, all the way until I pull into my driveway, and finally when I turn the car off I get out and look at him. "On one condition."

"Name it." He says, and he has a look on his face as though he's just won something incredible.

"Any human I catch doing something illegal, I want them turned over to the proper authorities. I wouldn't feel right if people started disappearing because of me." I tell him, and he follows me up to my front door.

"This is the only way you'll work for me?" He asks, and I can tell he isn't happy. I have no doubt that he would have enjoyed handing out justice to the people I pointed out. "Alright, I accept. What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Well, I have the next few days off, so nothing."

"Good. Wear something to blend into the crowd, and come to the bar half an hour before it opens." He gives me another quick kiss, before saying goodnight, and leaving in a blur.

When I get inside, the first thing I do is clean. I'd been neglecting the house for several days, and immediately regret it. I even end up washing the first floor windows on the inside.

By the time I'm asleep, it's well after one in the morning.

I get up early the next day, and start to call different home repair companies all over the state. Finally, by the time I'm done, I have a long list of personal numbers for the bosses of different companies who are willing to take calls after dark. I fold it up and slip it into an envelope, along with a short note addressed to Bill, telling him that our business is done and that I'd rather him not showing up anymore.

Taking a small role of tape with me, I jog across the cemetery and to the broken down old Compton house. When I get closer, I see that he wasn't kidding when he had told me the house needed repairs. All of the paint was peeling, and a couple of the windows had been busted out. Probably by the local high school kids. The steps up to the porch wobble, and the boards I step onto creak. I make sure the envelope is securely taped to his front door, and head back across the lawn.

On my way home, I stop and brush debris off of Gran's grave, and several minutes later I step back into my kitchen. I'm just starting my lunch, when a large UPS truck pulls up to the porch, and I go out to see a delivery man with a large package. He has me sign for it, and then carries it inside for me.

Grabbing a pair of scissors, I cut the tape, and lift the lid. My heart stops.

Inside the long box, are the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen. They're all different hues of pink, purple and white. I shuffle through the wrapping paper on the stems, and find the card which doesn't have anything written on it except for a simple, _E_.

I find a vase under the sink, and arrange the flowers into it. They look incredible, and I make sure to give them plenty of water before I put them on the dining room table.

I finish my meal, looking at them the whole time, and I wonder where they are from. I've never seen anything like them. They look almost like lilies, but they have twice as many petals as a lily, and the color patterns are intricate with different swirls amassing together in different places.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when I hear my brother's truck coming up the driveway. He's going faster than he should, and when I set my plate in the sink, I hear his door slam.

He looks furious when I open the front door, and he storms past me to the living room, where he starts pacing in a circle. "Who is he?" He demands after a moment, and I realize what he's upset about.

"His name is Eric, and he's a vampire." Jason freezes, and stares at me with wide eyes.

"What, so the first time that Fintan leaves in years, and suddenly you're a fuckin' _fang banger?_" I step closer to him, and he can't avoid it when I slap him harder than I ever have before.

He reels back, holding his jaw, and stares at me in shock. Blood starts dripping out of his nose. "Jason Stackhouse, you get out of my house right now, and don't you come back without asking first."

For a second he only stares at me, as though he isn't sure if I'm serious or not, but I stand firm. He opens his mouth as though to say something, before a look of remorse creeps into his eyes, and finally he walks out slowly. When his truck is out of my sight, I begin to cry.

The rest of the afternoon, I lay around the house sometimes reading a book and watching TV, but mostly I just feel terrible. Of all the people to judge me, I had expected Jason to be the last, especially considering the sort of woman he had dated over the years. Many of them were, in my opinion, worse than any vampire could ever be. One of the last ones had stolen his old truck, never returning it, and no one ever seen her or the truck again. I remember when he asked to borrow my car, because he had missed work without a way to get there, and that he was about to lose his job. Of course I had let him, and Sam had come to get me for my shifts for several days in a row until Jason finally got a new truck. He returned my car, with a promise to never barrow it again, since all of his work friends had made jokes about the small yellow thing.

I recalled Fintan telling him, 'If you keep dating woman like this, then you won't even own a shirt at years end.' Jason had laughed, and acted like he didn't care, but I knew he did. After that he had tried always getting better women.

When it was around five, I went upstairs, and the thought of seeing Eric lifted my spirits. I donned a low cut black shirt, and a pair of tight dark jeans that made all my curves stand out. Followed by a pair of black leather, two inch heels. My hair stayed down, and I gave it a slight curl right before getting into my car and leaving for the bar.

At first when I pulled in, I wasn't sure if I'd come to the right place, but then I saw the sign and knew I was where I should be. It was about half an hour until dark, and the place seemed deserted. I knocked on the door, and after a moment, a short blond haired woman cracked the door open slightly.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse. Eric told me to come before you opened." She nodded, and opened the door all the way.

"I'm Ginger. Master Eric should be up soon." Leaving me alone, she went to the back room, and I could hear her clunking around with something. It was strange for me, sitting at the bar, when no one else was there. The room was bigger than I had remembered, and I wondered if the crowd always made it seem smaller at night. Eric's throne was of course the center of attention, and after a moment of hesitation, I went up and sat down. Turning sideways, I rested my head on one of the arms, and put my legs over the other. Waiting silently, I watched Ginger as she puttered around, cleaning things and seemingly making sure everything was where it needed to be.

I dipped into her mind, and immediately felt bad for her. She was constantly losing her train of thought, and forgetting what she was doing at the moment. As I watched her, she repeatedly did the same things over and over, and I wondered if her state of mind was caused by the vampires. There were countless blanks in her memory, and she had trouble remembering anything she was told.

With no windows in the room, I didn't notice when the sky had darkened, and I jumped when Eric appeared. All at once he was standing over me smiling, and he leaned down to kiss me. "You look good in my chair, it suits you." He walks around, and picks me up bridal style, only to set down in the throne with me in his lap. He kisses me again, and I hear Pam across the room.

"I'm going to be sick." She mumbles, before going behind the bar. Doing the first thing that comes to mind, I stick my tongue out at her, and immediately regret it as she lifts an eyebrow. "In your dreams, honey." She says, and I just turn away from her.

Resting my head on Eric, I take comfort in the embrace, and he seems to sense that something is amiss. "What's the matter?" He asks, and I just shake my head. "Come on." He tells me, and I relent. I tell him what Jason had said to me, and he doesn't seem happy. But he smiles when I tell him how I reacted. "Your brother needs a lesson in manners, but I don't believe that he meant what he said. From what you've told me of your brother he seems like a reasonable human, and I believe that if he wants to be in your life, then he will apologize. Just wait, and you will see."

"Are you sure? I mean I told him to get out, and I've never done that before. I'm not sure if he'll talk to me again or not."

"Just-" He's cut off by his phone ringing, and I stand so he can get into his pockets. "Northman." He answers in a bored voice, and listens for a moment. "Yes, I am aware that he is in the area, but I do not know why… that would be because the human in question is already claimed… yes I know that you're the queen, but you never sent me a request for her, so I never made sure she was free. Now she is taken… the vampire who has her is very unlikely to renounce his claim on her, so I doubt that it would work. Yes your majesty, I'll ask him anyway." He hung up, and looked at me with a grin. "It seems that Bill Compton is not just your neighbor, but also was intended as your keeper. He was sent to procure you for the queen, so that she would have the use of a telepath. The plan was for him to seduce you and gain your trust, then take you to her and keep you with her against your will. I told her that you are taken, but she still wants you. She wants me to ask the vampire who has you if he will take cash in exchange for you, which he won't." He smiles widely, and I can tell that there is something else behind his happiness as well.

"What else is there?" I ask, and he just shakes his head.

"You see, as much as I enjoy the great state of Louisiana, I do _not_ enjoy being under the rule of Queen Sophie Anne. She is egotistical, maniacal, and only has her own interests in mind. Since she took over, this state has gone from one of the best to one of the worst when it comes to financial situations, and the Authority has taken notice. They are just waiting for her to slip up so they can remove her and put someone competent in her place. The thing that is great, apart from the fact that she can't touch you, is that I love to deny her things. In a human term, she is a spoiled brat, and it is good for her to not get her way occasionally." I roll my eyes when I realize just how childish he can be sometimes, but smile none the less.

"So she can't just take me without asking?" I ask, and he stands.

"Exactly." He kisses me for a moment, before Pam interrupts by clearing her throat.

"We need to open, so figure out where you're going before I unlock the door." Eric sits back down, and motions for me to take a seat at the bar, as though I'm just a patron.

"I can bartend if you need help at any time." I tell Pam, and she nods, but doesn't comment.

Once we're in place, the doors open, and in less than half an hour the bar is buzzing with activity. Eric sits in his throne, scanning the crowd occasionally, but mainly just watching me from the corner of his eye. A large man in a black suit is stationed at the door, while Pam bartends. When I find someone who is looking to buy or sell V, I call her over like I'm placing an order, and point them out with a description.

By the time midnight hits, I've picked seven people out who are all users and dealers. She glamour's all of them, and puts them in a back room near Eric's office to be interrogated.

I stand, and Eric's eyes are trained on me as I walk to the restroom and go inside. I'm just about to come back out when a tall man enters. Right away I can tell that he is a vampire, and I feel a pressure in my head as he tries to glamour me. "Would you be so kind as to offer me a drink?" He asks in a quiet voice, and I take a step back. Suddenly I'm against the wall, and he pushes my head to one side.

"Eric!" I scream, and close my eyes just as I feel his fangs touch my skin. I feel a pinch, and suddenly he's gone. Opening my eyes, I see that Eric has the vampire by the back of the neck, and is looking him dead in the face. His fangs are out, and all at once I realize just how dangerous he is.

"She is mine." He hisses, and throws the vampire into one of the stalls, breaking the door of it. Pam comes in, and grabs the vampire by the leg, before dragging him back through the crowd and through a thick steel door near the bar. Eric pulls me up into his arms, cradling me to his chest gently, and takes me with him up to his throne. I can tell he is still angry.

"Are you alright?" He finally asks, and I nod. Tipping my head to the side, he growls when he sees the beginning of a bite on my neck, and leans in to whisper. "I'll fix that later." I'm not sure what he means, but I don't protest, and simply stay there in his lap. He kisses me on the temple, and I can tell his fangs are still out.

When I notice the stares I am receiving, I turn my head into his chest, and do my best to ignore them. After a while most of the people and vampires go back to what they were previously doing, and I return to scanning the bar for anyone doing V.

It's nearly closing time, when a vampire enters the bar, and comes directly for me and Eric. I have my eyes closed as I focus on reading the human minds, but I see his void clearly coming toward us. Eric growls, and holds me a little tighter.

"I have no intention to harm you, or your human. Queen Sophie Anne sent me to speak with you." His voice reminds me of the way many lawyers would speak, and I keep my eyes closed despite no longer scanning the room.

Pam announces last call, and Eric stands with me still held by him. The vampire follows us back to Eric's office, where I'm set on the leather couch, and Eric sits in his usual desk chair. He motions for the vampire to start, and he does.

"I am Andre, and I was sent to negotiate with you about a human in your area. Sookie Stackhouse."


	4. Chapter 4

"_I am Andre, and I was sent to negotiate with you about a human in your area. Sookie Stackhouse."_

I didn't say a word, and didn't dare to speak. But Andre took no notice of me, and Eric was careful to keep his face from betraying anything as he start to talk. "Yes. The vampire who possesses her has no intention of giving her up; therefore you will need to inform the Queen that her efforts are in vain." His voice is calm and neutral, and I feel a wash of relief. I wondered if Eric could tell how tense I was as soon as Andre had spoken. My heartbeat had increased slightly, but was now calming down to a more natural pace.

"She has already told me that this would likely happen, and wishes to speak to the owning vampire directly. You will bring him here now, and I will put him through to her personal phone line." Andre smiles slightly, as though he has said something clever.

"Forgive me, but the owning vampire is not available at the moment. But when he is, I shall have him come forth. How about you tell me what the Queen wants with the human and I will try to reason with him?" If I ever played poker with Eric, I knew I'd lose. He didn't show anything beyond his professional business demeanor.

Andre seemed to consider his options, before finally frowning. "Alright. My maker, her majesty, learned not to long ago that there is a good chance that this human is more than that. Her informant claims that Ms. Stackhouse may be of supernatural decent, and may have abilities that are useful. The Queen wants the human brought to her, so she may keep her in her service, and use her to gain a better political standing. Beyond that, if she does in fact have worth, then she shall be my human to use as I please." There is a strange sound to his voice at the end, and a chill runs down my spine. I could just imagine how he would likely use me. Eric seemed to stiffen slightly, and even though I could see a new edge to his composure, he remained surprisingly calm.

"How are you certain the informant is credible?" Eric asks, and I can almost see the wheels in his head turning.

"I do not know, but her majesty is quite certain about the source. She wouldn't have sent me if she wasn't. Also when she sent Bill Compton, he apparently tried to glamour the human and it did not work. Therefore our suspicions were heightened." A strange look came over Andre's face, and he glanced at me for a second, seeming as though something had just occurred to him. "Is your human glamoured right now?"

"No, I trust her. She will not tell anyone anything unless I ask her to." Eric's voice was edged slightly more, and I knew that he wanted Andre to leave. He was becoming suspicious of me, and it wasn't good.

"She smells strange. I had not previously noticed given that she is covered in your scent. Any chance I could have a taste?" Eric stands suddenly, and his fangs are out.

"She is mine, and it is time for you to return to your maker. I will contact her soon." Andre doesn't look impressed, and simply stands. Then with a nod, he's out the door.

Eric growls strongly for a moment, until I assume Andre is out of earshot. "What are you going to do?" I ask him, and he thinks for a moment.

"I will reveal to Sophie Anne that you are mine, and that you are a telepath. But there is something I need to ask you first." He stops, despite the fact that I'm waiting for him to continue, and seems to hesitate. I walk over, and sit down on the edge of his desk in front of him.

"What is it?" He still seems unsure, but takes a deep breathe.

"When a vampire gives their blood to someone, it makes them tied. If I were to do that with you, then I would be able to track you, as well as feel your emotions. You would also be healed of any injuries, and you would feel healthier than normal. But a tie would not be enough to stop the queen from taking you, or forcing me to give you up. But if we exchange blood at the same time, it will form a bond. In the bond, we would feel each other, and it would be much clearer. Then, if we exchange blood three times, then it will be permanent. We would never again be able to hide ourselves from each other, and all of our emotions would be an open book. I would always be able to find you, and we would always know if the other is in danger or in pain. With a full blood bond, the queen would never be able to touch you. No one would. If someone laid a finger on you without mine or your consent, then I would have full rights to slaughter them without question. So what I'm asking is would you be willing to become my bonded?" He looks hopeful, and I stare at him for a moment in shock.

I open my mouth, and am about to speak, when suddenly the door flies open.

Pam is standing there, "Sir, someone's on the phone for you. It's from Texas."

Eric looks simultaneously annoyed, and worried. He grabs the phone, giving me an apologetic look, and hits a button. "This is Northman." He listens for several seconds, before looking shocked and angry, all at once. "I'll be there as soon as I can." The phone hits the receiver hard enough to make me wonder if it's broken.

His eyes meet Pam's, and she doesn't move. "Godric is missing." His voice is hollow, and even though I don't know who he's talking about, I can tell it's someone important to him.

In an instant he's standing, and he looks down at me, dismissing Pam who closes the door behind her. "I'm sorry." He says, kissing me suddenly. "I have to go to Texas. What do you say on my question?" In answer, I smile and open my mouth.

"I'm going with you to Texas." I say, and he smiles, right before I throw myself into his arms and kiss him fiercely.

. .oO

The plane touched down, and I stood when the flight attendant told me it was time to get off the plane. Grabbing my handbag, I walked down the stairs outside the door. On the horizon I could just see the last quarter of the sun as it finished sinking, and the vibrant colors in the sky made me pause. The heat was different from the muggy warmth I was used to, but it didn't bother me too badly. Glancing over I could see a worker holding a control switch, and unloading Eric's travel coffin. It lowered to ground level, and was carefully shifted to a motorized cart. A car pulled into my view from one of the hangers, and once it was stopped, he was carted over and loaded into the back of it. The driver got out, and held the door for me while I climbed into the back seat. Once he returned to his seat, we started moving, and it was nearly dark when we pulled into the driveway of a house that didn't stand out amongst the others in the neighborhood. It was modern looking, with lots of one-way windows in the front, and a small amount of greenery by the entryway.

My door was opened by the driver, when suddenly Eric appeared, and helped me up and out with a smile. "How was the flight?"

"Wonderful." I told him, and I looped my arm into his as we walked into the house. I scanned the house, and found countless vampires, with many more humans.

Two of the vampires and a human were gathered into a room that we headed straight toward, and I could feel the tension building for Eric. When he had gotten the call at Fangtasia, he had started making plans, and had our flights book in less than twenty minutes. Then he took me to my house, and had explained exactly who Godric was.

I hoped the other vampires understood that he would kill every one of them to get to his maker.

They all turned to look at us as we stepped in, and suddenly I felt like the smallest person in the world. One of them was a fierce looking man, who I assumed was Stan, wearing what could only be called the most intimidating cowboy outfit I had ever seen. He glared at me and Eric and I could tell that he did not want us there. The other vampire was a serious looking woman, Isabel, wearing a thigh length dress, and who had the human standing behind her. Dipping into his mind, I picked up that he belonged to her, and his name was Hugo.

Isabel smiled at us, and I knew that she was the one who had called Eric.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Stan demanded, and looked at the woman for answers.

"I called him." She didn't hesitate to own up to what she had done.

"Why?" Stan asked.

"Godric is my maker, and I have every right to be here." Eric said, and I had never seen him more intense. "If you two are going to keep squabbling like children, then I will find him myself."

"Sheriff, you are out of your area, and this will not stand." Stan countered.

"I am older than both of you combined, and as Godric's child, I have more right to lead in his absence than anyone. We are going to do as I say, and that is the end of this." Isabel smiled, and spoke before Stan could.

"I will stand behind you, if only to find Godric." Hugo nodded his agreement.

"As soon as Godric is found, you are going to pay for acting like this." Eric ignores Stan, and starts to move. He goes to the desk, and sits down, with me standing behind him. "What have you found out?" He looks to Isabel, and she starts.

"Last night, when sundown came, we figured out that Godric wasn't here. He must have left the night before just as everyone else was going to rest. We tracked his phone, and found it at the bottom of a local lake. His cars haven't been touched, and neither have any of his funds. It's like he just disappeared." She looks at Hugo, and he hands her a file from behind his desk, which she hands to Eric. "These are the statements of everyone we could contact, and nobody has seen or heard from him."

Eric doesn't bother to look at it, and just puts it on the desk. "We need to figure out who all would want to take him, and why. I want every available resource working on this."

"Damn it, I know who did this. It was the Fellowship of the Sun. Godric received a call three nights ago from a number registered to Steve Newlin." Isabel stares at him, and shakes her head.

"We have no idea what that call was about, and we can't just go storming in there to create a slaughter. Not only would that be bad for them, but the media would never let us recover from such a blow in vampire and human relations." Hugo seemed to want to say something, and I dipped into his mind. _I need to tell her. But if I say something without permission, Stan will try to have me killed again. She needs to know about the Fellowship guys. _ I watched the scene play out in his head. He was walking outside the servant quarters, when he noticed two guys that he hadn't seen around before, and they wore Fellowship T-shirts. They were talking to one of the maids, and had her blocked into a corner. Hugo got closer, before they noticed him, and he heard them asking the woman about the leader of the nest. They knew his name was Godric, and they wanted to know about his habits outside of the house. He spoke up, demanding what they were doing, and the two men ran off. He tried to follow them, but they ended up jumping into a van on the street and driving off. Assuming they didn't get any information, Hugo let it go, and hadn't said anything. But then Godric had gone missing, and now he knew it meant something.

I reached forward where no one could see, and tapped Eric on the back. He turns toward me, and from the look I give him, he knows that I've read someone's mind. Looking back at Stan and Isabel, he sighs. "My human here, is Sookie Stackhouse, and she is a telepath. She can't read us, but she can read other supes and humans. Something she's read in one of the minds in this house is important." He motions for me continue, and I nod. The two other vampires watch me with a sudden curiosity, and I know they want to know more about me.

"Two members of the Fellowship of the Sun had cornered a maid recently, and tried to information about Godric. They wanted to know what Godric does and where he goes when he's not here. But the person who caught them questioning scared them off, and they didn't get any answers at that time. He didn't think it meant anything, since the Fellowship is always trying to learn about vampires, and let it go. This was a week ago." The two vampires look surprised, and then angry.

"Who was it that caught them?" Stan demanded, and I hesitated, glancing at Hugo.

He spoke up, "It was me."

Isabel looked at him with sadness, and disappointment, while Stan looked furious. "Why didn't you say anything? Godric being taken could have been prevented."

"I-I'm sorry. But the Fellowship is always trying to get information out of the staff, so I assumed it was just a normal thing." He stammers and is obviously scared at the wrath of the vampire who questioned him.

"Hugo, how many times have I told you? Always mention things that could be harmful to the integrity of this nest." She takes him out of the room before Stan can say anything else.

"We need to get into the Fellowship of the Sun, without a slaughter." Eric states, and Stan actually nods his agreement, before looking as though he's just realized something.

"Several months ago Godric hired several people in complete secrecy, only I knew about it, and planted them into the Fellowship of the Sun. He gave them jobs, families, and set up entire fake lives. They receive notes once a month from Godric, with anything he wants information on, and they send us the information back through messages disguised as them paying their bills. It worked, and they've been loose members of the fellowship for this entire time. But if we can get them to go deeper into the church, then they might be able to find something." Eric nods, and I can see him calculating.

"Get ahold of them, and inform them of what has happened." Stan leaves the room, closing the door behind him, and I put a hand on Eric's shoulder.

"We'll find him, I'm sure." He nods, then calls for a staff member to show me around the house.

The woman's name is Carol, and she quickly gives me a tour, showing me the kitchen, workout room, indoor pool, and finally where Eric and I will be staying. When she leaves me outside the door, I walk in, and am surprised by what I find.

The room reminds me of something I would get as a suite at a five star hotel. There's a king sized bed, with a large flat screen TV mounted on the opposite wall. Through one door is a small office, and next to it is a spacious bathroom with a whirlpool tub and a shower big enough for four people. A large balcony is built off of the main room, and fancy patio furniture is placed around a large table. In one corner of the room is a minibar stocked with True Blood, water and different types of alcohol.

Stripping down, I run a hot bath, and soak for a long time. A small TV that I hadn't previously noticed is mounted to the wall, and when I find the remote I put on some soft music.

The next thing I know, Eric is lifting me out of the large tub of cooled water, and I wrap my arms around his neck. When he takes me to a closet, I see that my clothes and his are already there, hung up and sorted. He watches as I dress, but I don't mind, and then we end up lying on the bed together. I can see the slight worry lines around his eyes, and I smooth them with my finger. "I know you miss him, but it'll be ok." When he doesn't react, I lean in closer, and whisper in his ear.

"I'm ready to bond." His eyes meet mine, and he looks surprised.

"Are you sure?" There's hope in his voice.

"Of course. How do we do this?" Moving me, he has me sit with my back to him in his lap, and I hear it as he drops his fangs behind me. I'm shocked when he bites into his own wrist. He holds it in front of me, and whispers in my ear.

"Drink." He says, and I latch on. It's thick and has a harsh metallic taste, but with an undertone of sweetness. Just as I do so, I feel a sharp pain in my neck, and I know that he has bitten me. But I don't stop as I feel him pulling at the wound. A strange sensation runs through me, and an excited tingle runs up my spine. We stay where we are for a moment, when suddenly I feel something in the back of my mind.

An intense hunger overcomes me, and I bite down harder, unable to control myself. Blood pours from his wrist, ruining my shirt and shorts, and soaking into the linens of the bed. He hisses against my throat, a sound that I've never heard so close, but I'm not afraid. Instead a shiver of anticipation runs through me. All at once we release each other, and I twist around, kissing him fiercely.

He's surprised when I push him back onto the bed, and straddle his lap, but he goes along with it anyway. Rubbing against the solid bulge in his jeans, I twist my hands in his hair, and start press my lips back to his. Without realizing it, I start to rock back and forth against him, and I can feel his hands on my sides urging me further. I'm just beginning to pull at his shirt, when suddenly he's above me, and my back is pressed into the mattress. All I want to do is bite and kiss him again, for as long as possible.

He leans up, preventing me from kissing him further, and looks me in the eye. "Sookie, I know what you're feeling right now is strong, but I need you to understand that these aren't your feelings. They are mine. I need you to reach into your own mind, find where these feelings are coming from, and block them." I try to listen to what he's saying, but I just can't grasp it. Then he brings his wrist up to for me to see. "Would you really do this, normally?" My eyes are locked on the mangled flesh, and I watch as it slowly starts to heal, disgusted with myself. Pushing myself, I finally notice what feels like a bump in the back of my mind. It's warm, and strong, and from it comes all the feelings of hunger and lust.

Pushing at it hard, I see him wince, and stop. Then something occurs to me, and I feel like I know what I should do. Just as I would to control my telepathy, I envision walls around the ball of energy, and suddenly the foreign feelings disappear. "I-I'm so sorry." I stammer out, and watch his wrist finally close. Remorse floods me, and I can see that he feels it as well.

"It's alright. I understand, and it's not your fault." He reassures me, and I just nod as he sits up to pull me into his lap again. "What you are feeling is the beginning stages of a full blood bond. With each exchange, the feelings we get from each other will become clearer. We'll be able to send our emotions to each other at will, and if necessary, we could even manipulate what the other feels. Although I don't intend on doing that to you, it could come in handy if you ever needed to act scared or afraid." He glances down at my clothes, and chuckles. "We should clean you up before we ruin more than the bed."

I nod, agreeing with him, and suddenly I'm in his arms and we're in the bathroom. I can't help but blush when he strips me down, and does the same for himself, before getting us under a soothingly hot stream of water. "Do not be embarrassed." He whispers to me, before starting to wash my hair.

After the shower, I snuggle up against him wearing a tank top and shorts. He puts his arm around me, and I close my eyes. Slowly, I lower the walls around the bond, and gently feel out his emotions. He's happy, and content, but underneath those is a current of darker mixed feelings. Anger, worry, and a need for revenge swirl together in a dark mass, and I realize that Godric must still be on his mind.

Thinking about the bond, something occurs to me, and I open my eyes to see him staring at me. "I could feel you…feeling me." He chuckles, and I smile as well.

"I want to exchange blood a second time tonight." His mouth falls open, and I can feel his surprise, and then the surprise changes to a higher level of happiness.

He nods, and sits up, putting me in his lap once more.

The exchange this time is must quicker than the last time, with me making sure to block his emotions as he drinks from my neck. In the back of my mind, I can feel what is coming from him stronger, and I don't think I've ever realized just how much is happening in his mind at once. Beyond his hunger and joy is the swirl of darker emotions, as well as other happy ones. I think back to when his mood has changed in less than a second, and now I know how it's possible.

When we lay down together, I release the barrier I have between myself and the bond, and let his emotions flood me. After a while our emotions synchronize, and as he dies for the day, I drift off into peaceful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

When I wake up, the first thing I do is check the bond. We'd exchanged blood twice the previous night, and I could feel it there in the back of my mind. It was quiet and dull given that Eric was dead for the day, but I knew it would open up again when he rose after sunset. Finding his cell phone, I see that it is nearly noon.

My stomach growls and I realize just how long it's been since I ate. Going to the kitchen, I find a staff member there who immediately gets me a seat at the end of the island in the middle of the room. She gives me a list of breakfast choices, and I pick out the French toast.

After eating, I take a walk in what appears to be a garden behind the pool, and finally decide to lie out and sun bathe. Several chairs are situated near the pool, and after putting my lotion on, I lay down to soak in the heat for several hours. It's nearly six when I get inside, and I see a lot of the human staff leaving the main building at the same time as more are coming in. Dipping into the minds of several of them, I find that it's time for shift change. Curious, I keep listening while I head to our room, and learn more about the workings of the nest.

The humans work in twelve hour shifts, mainly decided by day and night. Most of the night staff I find are not just staff, but also willing donors, who are happy to let any vampire drink from them. Pulling away, I'm about to put my walls back up, when I hear the thoughts of a man who's in a room just down the hall from me.

_I hope I can get through to Reverend Newlin tonight. He needs to know about this girl belonging to Northman._ _Hopefully this will make him happy enough to move me out of this damn fang-fest. I hate this place, and it's so difficult to stop from running out when they get mean. _His thoughts keep prattling on, and I learn his name, before going inside the room.

Turning on the TV, I find a good old movie to watch, and wait for Eric to wake up.

As the sun drops below the horizon, I feel Eric come alive, and I have to put up my walls to keep the sudden flood of emotions from over whelming me. "We need to find Isabel." I say as soon as he sits up in the bed, "One of the staff here is a member of the Fellowship of the Sun." He nods, and is immediately getting dressed.

When we get downstairs, Isabel is talking to another vampire in the main living room, and Eric gives her a meaningful look. She excuses herself, and we follow her to her office. As soon as were inside, Eric nods his head to me, and I start.

"One of your staff members, Jim Blackburn, is a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. He was sent here to get as much information what all you do as possible. He's been reporting back for nearly a month." She looks furious, and a few minutes later a vampire walks into the room with Jim behind him, obviously glamoured.

She turns her attention to him, and has him glamoured herself instantly. "Why did you come here?"

"I was sent by Steve Newlin. He wants to learn how the vampire society and government works, that way he'll be better able to destroy it. I've been sending him everything I learn."

Isabel paces around for a moment, before looking at him again, "How did you get past the screeners who are responsible for hiring all new employees?"

"I didn't have to go through them. I stole one of the badges of a new employee, and had it doctored it to fit my needs." The man's voice is flat.

"Do you know where Godric is?" She demands, and the man nods.

"Godric is being held somewhere in the church of the Fellowship of the Sun. Somewhere on the lower levels." Isabel tells the vampire to take the man, and put him in a holding cell, but Eric stops him.

"What are they planning to do to Godric?" Eric's mind is calculating, and the horror at the man's next words is unbearable.

"Reverend Newlin plans on chaining him with silver to a giant wooden cross, and then forcing him to meet the sun. They're doing it tonight." I have to block Eric, due to the force of his feelings.

Eric's rage is nearly to the point where he can no longer control himself, and I decide to test the bond for real. I grab ahold of it, and using all my strength, I bury the rage in a wave of reassurance and love. While I watch, he visibly shudders, and then looks at me with intense eyes. He nods, and I give him a small smile, before he turns back to Isabel. Just as he goes to speak, Stan comes in, and looks angry.

"I heard what that damn human said. We need to get in there, right now, and take Godric back." With that line a three way argument starts between the vampires, while I stand in a corner, totally forgotten. Isabel knows that Stan will cause a bloodbath, and tries to argue that they should do it calculatingly. Eric partially agrees except that he wants to do it alone, while Stan wants to get together every vampire in the nest and destroy every single human in the church.

As they bicker back and forth, my mind starts to work. I'm not sure if it's from being bonded to Eric, but for some reason I find myself thinking through plan after plan, until finally I strike gold. Without thinking, I step forward and gain the attention of the three vampires simultaneously. "Let me do it." All eyes meet mine, and I do my best to reassure Eric. "I can get inside the Fellowship, find Godric, and free him before anyone knows any different. You all can be in the woods nearby, hiding, and if anything goes wrong then you can rush in and get us out. Get ahold of the people you have inside, and tell them to meet me somewhere, so I can go in with them as though I want to join." The room is quiet for a moment, and Eric stares at me half worried, and half proud. Isabel starts to nod after a second, and I know I have the majority vote.

"Let's do it." She says, and looks at Eric. "I like your human, she is smart."

"Maybe she is, but how the hell can we trust this puny human to get to Godric without fucking it up?" Stan counters, and I feel annoyance from Eric, who turns to face the other vampire.

"I know she can do this, because I trust her." Eric says, and the intensity of his voice is enough to make Stan shake his head, but finally he relents.

"But I'm putting together the ones of us who will be in the woods." Isabel agrees with Stan's condition, and moves to sit behind her desk.

"I'll get ahold of our inside people, and arrange for them to meet us." We all go our separate ways, and less than half an hour later, we're all meeting back up just outside the house. We get into a multitude of black SUV's and end up pulling into a strip mall parking lot an hour and a half later. Everyone gets out, and seconds later a nice Mercedes pulls in. Two humans get out, and from the way they are dressed I would guess that they were modeling after the Newlin's.

"Isabel, how have you been?" The woman asks, and Isabel approaches her. Both the man and woman are in their mid-thirties, and remind me of what you'd see from a couple where one of them is a skilled lawyer.

"I've been good Margie. But the Fellowship has Godric, and we are determined to get him out. They plan to force him to meet the sun, and we will not let that happen." Isabel's voice is serious and commanding, and it reminds me of someone who would make a good leader.

"What can we do to help?" Margie asks, and Isabel smiles.

"We have someone that we need you to escort inside. Make it seem like she is with you because she wants to join the church, and you decided to bring her tonight to introduce her to everyone." Margie nods, and her supposed husband stepped forward.

"Reverend is hosting a lock-in tonight. Everyone sleeps over inside the church, and there is a secret surprise happening at dawn. I suppose the surprise would be Godric. Reverend Newlin invited us, as well as any guests we might want to bring." I step forward with Eric right beside me, holding my hand.

"I'm Sookie, and I'm the one who's going in with you." They look me over, and seem to approve of my attire. Before leaving the house, I had changed into a brightly colored sun dress, with my hair loose around my shoulders, a pair of white sandals, and just a touch of pink lipstick. Eric had said I looked like vampire bait.

"Alright then Sookie, when we get in there, we're going to say your name is Janet. I am Margaret, and this is my husband Rickie. The event tonight is a big one, so the reverend and his wife will probably be meeting a lot of new members. Don't expect them to ask too many questions, and if they do then we'll step in." Margie gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before she says that we need to leave. I turn, and Eric kisses me sweetly for a moment.

"If Godric is hurt, then I'm going to give him blood so we can get out." I say, and he seems unsure, but finally agrees. A strong sense of pride, love, and devotion hits me, and I smile back at him.

"We'll be in the woods, if you need help, then I'll know. Godric won't know you, but tell him who you are, and he'll smell my blood on you." I nod, and let go of his hand before getting in the backseat of the Mercedes.

The vampires disappear from view, and we speed away down the road. Less than ten minutes later, we're pulling down a newly paved road, and finally up to the church. The face of it is covered in large stained glass windows, ornate tall doors, and an expanse of garden on each side. We park in a row amongst countless other vehicles, and get out. There are numerous people all milling around outside, and I see that many of them have sleeping bags.

When we get into the main room of the church, we go and mill around together near the large buffet table. I'm just biting into a cracker when the infamous reverend and his wife come over to us. "Margaret! It's so good to see that you and Rickie could make it." Mrs. Newlin speaks first, and Mr. Newlin shakes hands with Rickie.

"Who's this?" Steve asks curiously, looking at me.

I speak up brightly, "I'm Janet, and I was hoping to join your congregation. Margaret and Rickie invited me to come with them tonight, and I just couldn't refuse. This place is incredible, and I'm already looking forward to coming here every Sunday."

Sarah smiles with what seems like all the joy in the world, "That would be wonderful!" She starts telling me about the application process for getting accepted into the congregation, and I listen with all the focus I can. She's halfway through her speech when Steve puts a hand on her shoulder, and smiles at me apologetically.

"Dear, how about we let our new friend here mingle with the other folks here tonight? That way she can get to know everyone. Besides, I see someone we haven't met yet just over there." He motions in the direction he means, and she agrees after a second of hesitation.

They saunter off, and I wait a moment before turning back to Margie. "Start telling me a long, complicated story." She nods, even though she's not sure why I would ask her to do it, and starts talking about someone she knows at work.

I tune her out quickly, and focus on Steve Newlin and his wife. They're talking to someone named Gabe.

_Oh this is going to be amazing. No one here is going to expect what's happening, and I can't wait to send that damn fanger to his end. As long as we don't have any more problems holding him in the basement, then everything should go perfectly._ I focus back in on Margie, and she brings her story to an end.

"Where is the basement?" She motions toward a hallway on the other side of the room, and speaks in a hushed voice.

"The door to the basement is down that hallway, and the bathrooms are that way as well. If you get caught, you can use that as an excuse." I smile, and thank her.

"Wait about two minutes, and make a commotion so that any guards get called away." She nods, and I start to slowly make my way across the room. Finally, I wait until no one is really paying attention to me, and slip down the hallway. It's brightly lit, and after trying two doors, I find a set of stairs. Scanning for minds ahead of me, I wait until it's clear, and start down the stairs. I'm almost to the bottom when someone starts coming behind me from the hallway above. Hurrying, I dodge into a small empty room, and wait until they walk by.

I'm about to come out, when I hear screams from the room above. I hear voices immediately after from the hallway. "What was that?" One man says.

"I don't know, but that vamper isn't going anywhere. Let's go check it out." I hear several men running past, and scanning for minds, I find only the void of a vampire.

After the men have left the stairs, I take off running, until I get to a thick wooden door at the end of the hall. Pushing the door opened, I'm horrified by what I see. A vampire is lying on a table, covered in silver chains from the waist up, and some sort of silver net from the waist down. The areas where the silver is touching his skin are red and burning, and a slight smoke is coming off of him. "Godric?" I ask, and his eyes open. He turns to look at me, and I see him trying to analyze who I am.

I move closer, when suddenly he has his fangs out, and is growling at me viciously. "What, are you here to try and torture me more? I promise that nothing you can do will get any information out of me."

"Godric, I'm here to get you out of this place. My name is Sookie Stackhouse, and I'm bonded to Eric. " He goes from angry to calculating, and I take a step closer. "I'm going to remove the silver, and give you some of my blood so that you can heal. Okay?" I wait for him to nod, and when he does, I grab the edge of the silver netting. "I'm going to get this over with as fast as I can." I promise him, and he braces himself.

Pulling hard on the net, I toss it onto the floor, and cringe at the sight in front of me. He's still wearing pants, but they are torn and tattered, and the silver had still been in contact with enough areas to cause plenty of damage. I see that the chains is really a single very long one, and I grab to points of it, before ripping it away. Godric snarls in pain, and I return to his side standing over him.

Holding out my wrist, he nods his thanks, before biting as gently as he can. I draw in a sharp breath from the pain, and try not to move too much as he drinks. He takes several large mouthfuls, before stopping and pricking his finger to remove the marks. "Just give me a moment." He asks, and sits up. I watch in awe as his body starts to regenerate. Then he stands, and takes my hand. "Are you ready to go?" He asks, and I hesitate.

"Eric, Stan and Isabel are in the woods nearby with a bunch of other vampires, and they're waiting for us. But how are we going to get out?" I ask, and suddenly he picks me up into his arms.

"Trust me." He says, and then he starts moving. We go up the stairs, and creep around the edges of the room. We're almost out a side door, when suddenly the guards notice us. All guns are trained on us at once, and I can't help but feel panicked. All at once I feel a rage coming from Eric, and I know he and the others are coming. Right in front of my eyes, a multitude of vampire's rushes in, and every guard is incapacitated. Looking up toward the pedestal at the front of the room, I see Reverend being held in the air by his throat, by none other than Eric. Godric steps up into the front of the room, with me still in his hold, and everyone clears away from us. He shows his fangs, and stares at Newlin. "If you ever come near any of the vampires in this state again, then you shall not survive. I leave you here, alive, so that you may understand that we are not monsters. We do show mercy, and we do not kill without reason." His gaze shifts slightly and he looks at Eric. "Release him, we are leaving."

We're racing out of the room then, with all of the vampire's right behind us, and a second later we're in the woods. Godric sets me on my feet, and suddenly Eric is there taking my hand in his with a loving squeeze, before looking at his maker. "This is my bonded, Sookie Stackhouse." He motions to me and Godric smiles.

"She has already told me this. Now why don't we return to the nest so as we can sort this thing out?" Isabel steps forward, and hands him a set of keys.

"We have vehicles parked at the nearby strip mall." Godric takes the keys, and everyone follows him without question back to the parking lot. We're nearly there when Eric tenses, and I look at him with question.

"Godric, they're tracking us." Eric says to the man in front of us, but he just keeps walking.

"I know they are, but the chances of Newlin's people finding us are slim." He sounds confident, but I drop my shields, and push out as far as I can anyway.

We're about to emerge from the woods, when I whisper, "Stop!" Everyone does so, and Godric turns to look at me. "They're at our cars. They ran the license plates and figured out that they belong to you, so they're staking them out. Also they're in the woods coming up behind us, and they have a tracer planted on your shirt." He lets me reach out, and pull what looks like a penny off of the sleeve of his shirt.

"How do you know this?" He asks, suddenly suspicious. The other vampires are watching with interest, since they've never seen a human be so at ease around Godric. No other person had ever dared to speak to him without permission before.

"I'm telepathic. I can hear the thoughts of other humans, and I can hear the soldiers from the Fellowship. They're armed with silver tipped, wooden bullets, and they are bent on getting you back. Reverend Newlin is furious that you all were able to get in so easily." Godric smirks, although he'd seemed surprised when I said what I was. His demeanor seemed to change drastically when he noticed my eyes widen by what I heard in the Fellowship member's head. They were right by us, and knew where we were.

"They're here!" I say, and all the vampires go on the defensive. One of the Fellowship members suddenly appears, and starts shooting. But his aim is terrible, and all he hits is the ground and a few trees. He's quickly incapacitated, but there is several more coming up right behind him. Eric shields me while the others handle the threat. More humans are coming, and out of nowhere I see three appear behind Godric. "Watch out." I hiss, and he turns with a snarl. The humans there hesitate, and that's all it takes for two of them to die by Godric's hands. The third one swears, and starts to fire his gun toward us. The bullets spray out, none of them hitting the target, and he's dead a moment later.

It takes a solid ten seconds before I register the pain. I gasp, my hands flying to my stomach, and it's almost obscene to see the blood appearing through my clothes. Eric roars in rage, but doesn't leave me, and the sounds of the world seem to die away. My knees give out as more blood emerges, and Eric lifts me up into his arms. The sound of fangs emerging greets my ears from all directions, and a warning growl comes from Eric. "Take her and go!" Godric's voice is fierce and close by, and I try to turn to look at him, but my neck won't move.

"Stay with me." Eric says in my ear, and dark splotches start to cover my vision.

"I love you." I can no longer feel the bond, but I whisper the words, and hope he hears.

I can't help it when my eyes close of their own will, and from seemingly far away I hear Eric shout my name. Using the last of my strength, I look up at him, and smile. As I'm looking him in the eye, I notice in my peripheral vision that we seem to no longer be in the forest. It would appear as though we're flying, but that can't be possible, can it?

A strange sensation creeps up my throat, and suddenly I cough, causing Eric to look more concerned. Even though my eyes are open, I struggle to see him, since my vision starts to fade again.

"Don't leave me." He pleads, whispering into my ear, and it's the last thing in know before I slip into unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Eric POV**_

We're nearly back to the nest, when she passes out, and I fly at the limits of my speed. When I reach the house, someone opens the door, and I burst through. Finding the first empty couch, I lay her down, and look over my shoulder at the few vampires. "Get Dr. Ludwig here, now!" One of them goes to find a phone, and I wait no time in dropping my fangs. When I bite into my wrist, I do more damage than necessary, and the blood pours out. Opening her mouth, I put my arm over it, and urge her to drink.

At first, nothing happens, and I feel for the bond. It's weak, fluttering in and out just like her heart is doing, and I know it's going to be close. I grab on, using my own energy to fuel it, and push her toward hunger. Remembering the worst thirst I've ever experienced, I let the feelings crash into her, and am relieved when she finally latches on. She bites into the wound, keeping it open, but I don't stop her. After letting out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, I turn toward the other vampires in the room. "Godric, Stan, Isabel and the others are in the woods near the Fellowship's church, and they may need help. You should go." They nod, thanking me for the information, and disappear out the front door.

She continues to drink, and I am happy to let her do so, especially as I hear her beating heart return to a normal pace. When she finally stops, my wound closes, and I watch her face. Without waking up, she relaxes into the couch, and I pull up her shirt. The gnarled wound from the bullet is starting to close, and a second later the bullet emerges, having been pushed out by the flesh. I'm relieved to say the least, but I'm not entirely satisfied. Dr. Ludwig is at the door a few seconds later, and hurries past me when I answer to look over Sookie. I stand by her head, and wait as the doctor exams her stomach, watching for any reactions to being prodded. When she doesn't respond to anything, the doctor looks at me. "What is she?"

"She's a telepath, but aside from that, I have my suspicions that she may be fae. It's hard to believe, given that the fae haven't been seen or heard from in over four thousand years, but she appears to have the lineage of a Brigant. Someone I trust is in Louisiana as we speak, trying to decipher her family history and figure out how she came to be." The doctor seems unsure, but after a moment she appears to agree.

"Yes, it would explain why she's healing so quickly. When a vampire willingly gives blood to a fae, its healing properties become more potent. I will warn you though. If she is in fact fae, then you're not going to be the only vampire who wants her. As a professional, I won't speak of it to anyone, and you may want to hide it as well. You know what the rumors are about them and vampires." She looks at Sookie pointedly.

I growl on instinct, "No one will ever take her from me. We are bonded, and hopefully we will soon be pledged." The short woman's eyebrows jump at this, and she laughs.

"Good luck to you then, but do not think that that is all there is to it. Some of you are so old, that you think the laws of the rest do not apply." I know what she is saying is true, but that doesn't make it any easier. She's just about to speak again, when Godric steps in, followed by his sheriffs and the other vampires.

"How is she?" He looks directly to the doctor for an explanation.

"This one," she motions to me, "gave her a large amount of his blood, and the surface wounds have closed. She will be sore for a few days, and I recommend that she doesn't move out of bed for twenty four hours." She's about to leave, when she turns back to me. "No sex or drinking of her blood. She doesn't need you making her any weaker than she will already be."

I nod, and watch her walk out. Several of the vampires eye her hungrily, and I realize her clothes are still soaked in blood. Glaring at them for a second, I turn to Godric. He helps me to lift her, and I take her to our room. Upon my request, he leaves, and I peel her clothes off.

When the dried blood is washed from her skin, I put her into a warm pajama set, and lay her into the bed. Before I leave the room, I make sure she's tucked in.

The main room of the nest is buzzing with activity when I return, and I request that Godric goes outside with me. He follows me to go near the pool, and I switch to speaking in Old Norse. It's a language that few know, but together we have always used it to speak privately in public.

"What is it, my child?" He asks, seeing my troubled expression.

"Dr. Ludwig agrees with my suspicions, that Sookie is fae. I believe that she is descended from a Brigant, but I don't know which one." The surprise is obvious on his face, but he quickly hides it, and looks worried.

"You know the implications of this if she is too closely related to Niall. What are you going to do?" I think for a moment, before shaking my head.

"My best argument would be to claim that I hadn't known of her lineage before bonding with her. Once our bond is complete, there will be nothing they can do to separate us. Even Niall himself wouldn't want to cause her so much pain by taking her away from me." Niall had always been known to dote over his children and grandchildren, but I doubt he's ever been faces with such a situation before.

"Do you think she has a watcher?" He asks, and I shake my head.

"If she was being watched, then I'm sure they would have stepped in by now. No family of hers would have knowingly left her with me for more than a second. They would have stopped me from ever getting too close." This train of thought spurs another, and I frown. "Do you think that perhaps Niall is unaware of her? Maybe one of his children is her great grandmother or father, and never told him about being with a human."

Godric nods, seeing my sense. "Yes, I believe that if he knew about her, then she would already be with him. The fae never mingled much with humans, and when they did they never left the children behind. It was always too risky, given what would start happening when they showed a spark."

"But I'm not sure if she has a spark. Her telepathy is the only power she seems to have." I point out.

"Yes, but you forget that many halfling children of a fae and human mix take longer for their spark to mature. How old is she?"

"She turned twenty two earlier this year." He arches an eyebrow, and thinks for a moment.

"When I was still young, I met a halfling, by the name of Moira. She had run away from home, and didn't know anything about the fae. Her spark didn't manifest until she was twenty. But given that Sookie's fae is obviously more diluted, I'd imagine that it would take a bit longer. For all we know, she could come into her powers at any time. You will need to be careful." His voice tells me that he is completely serious, and I almost laugh.

"What do you mean?"

"Often times, fae trigger their powers with emotion. So try not to put Sookie into any stressful situations anytime soon, or she may accidently kill someone without knowing how she did it." I nod, taking that in, and check the bond.

She's still fast asleep, but dreaming, and many different emotions swirl together randomly every few seconds.

Returning inside, I see that everyone has been waiting for Godric, and Isabel steps forward.

"We must know how they took you." She says, getting a few glances from the more wary vampires. Though Godric is usually quite merciful, and unusually kind towards humans, he is a force to be reckoned with. If he wanted anyone in the room dead, it would take him less than a second, and nobody would argue unless they too wanted to meet the true death.

He walks through the room, taking a seat in a leather chair, and takes a deep breath.

"I was walking down the street, when a teenage girl came stumbling out of an alley. She said that she needed help, because her friend had been hurt, so of course I followed her." Stan rolls his eyes, and appears disgusted. Knowing him, he likely would have killed and drained them both on sight. "They ambushed me with a silver net, and got me into a van. They kept me under a large amount of silver until the sun rose, and then they secured me to a table in the basement of their facility. My strength started to wane when the sun dropped tonight, and I knew I wasn't going to escape alone. Eric's human, Sookie, found me chained in their basement. She fed me enough blood to get me healing, and then we attempted to escape. You know what happened next." Several of the vampires eye me with appreciation, and it only bothers me. It's Sookie they should be thanking.

I'm thinking of her, when Godric speaks again, and silences me with his words. "For as long as I rule, Sookie Stackhouse shall always find sanctuary within my kingdom, and anyone who wishes her harm shall meet the true death by my hand. She is a friend to vampires everywhere."

Myself, along with all of the other vampires in the room, are stunned. Godric looks at me, and smiles. "She will need protection." I nod, and he dismisses everyone but me and the Sheriff's. He looks at the two Sheriffs, and waits a moment until all the other vampires are out of range of hearing. "I tell the two of you this in complete confidence. Should I find that you've told anyone else, then you shall forfeit your rolls as Sheriff, and you shall meet the true death. Eric's bonded, Sookie, is descended from the fae. She doesn't know it, but that is where her telepathy comes from, as well as any future skills that she will acquire."

Stan and Isabel look at me in surprise, and partial envy. I can't help the silent rumble from going through my chest at the look Stan has.

Godric clears his throat, and they look back to him. "The two of you are to return to your areas now, unless there is more business to be discussed, and I expect full reports at the usual times." The two vampires nod to him, acknowledging his authority, and leave without question.

"How is she?" He asks, and I check the bond.

"She's still asleep, but I can tell she's dreaming. Her emotions are all over the place." I say, and smile without realizing that I'm doing so. It comforts me to know that she's safe. "She'll want to go home as soon as she's able." My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, frowning as I don't recognize the number.

"Northman." I answer in indifference.

"Ya, this is Sookie's brother, Jason. She said to call this number if I needed to talk to her. Is she there?" Her brother sounds unsure, frightened, and slightly nervous, and I wonder what could be happening back at her small home town.

"She's asleep right now, but I'd be happy to deliver a message." He sighs, and obviously doesn't want to say anything, but finally does anyway.

"Yea, can you tell her that Fintan is back, and he's not too happy that she isn't here."

"I'll deliver the message." I say, and hang up before he can speak further.

"Did he say Fintan?" Godric questions, and I nod.

"Apparently, when her Grandmother died, he was the last living relative old enough to take care of Sookie and her brother. So he moved into their old farmhouse, and raised them." He looks worried for a moment.

"I knew of a Fintan once. He was a son of Niall, and had stayed in the human world for many years despite the impending civil war in the fae realm. We met once, and I nearly attacked him for threatening to try and take away everything I owned. He's extremely critical of vampires." He glances in the direction of my room. "If this is the same Fintan, then he is going to claim her as property of the crown, and he will try to take her away. My son, if you are to stop her, then you need to complete your bond with Sookie as soon as it is safe for her."

**This is shorter than I had originally intended, but I'm posting it anyway, and I promise more in each chapter in the future. **


	7. Chapter 7

_**Eric POV**_

"He can try all he wants to, but I'll kill him before I let him take her away." I vow, and Godric shakes his head.

"Imagine the pain you would cause her." I pause in my silent plotting, and listen against my will. "Fintan raised the girl, and if you kill him, then she will never forgive you. She may not leave you because of your actions, but she will never forget. You need to be careful. Given that she's never delved into the supernatural world before, she doesn't understand the brutality and ferocity that is often present necessary. She doesn't yet realize how blood thirsty many beings are. Fairies especially are protective toward their own kind, and once Niall hears of the bonding, he will be furious." Godric goes over to a shelf, and pulls down an ancient looking book. "Have her read this. It's everything we know on the fae, including the war that has been raging for them for over two thousand years." The book is bound in worn and cracked animal skin, with no obvious title or heading. Just intricate patterns and shape are carved all over, and I glance back up at Godric in question. He smiles, "I sort of… _borrowed_ that from a fae a long time ago, so please take care of it."

I'm about to open it, when suddenly a sense of dread comes over me. Terror, pain and grief hit me all at once, and less than a second later I'm in our room. I nearly rip the door off the hinges to get in, with Godric right behind me. Sookie is lying in the bed, still asleep, but mumbling and thrashing slightly.

He scans the room for any threats while I go to her, and begin to gently shake her shoulder. I push positive emotion into her side of the bond, and she wakes wide eyed with a gasp. It takes a moment before she registers that it's me next to her, and then she's clutching me closer.

"It was s-so real…you died." Her voice shakes out in a whisper, and a strange mix of relief and grief twist through her. I pull her closer to me, and Godric leaves the room with a simple nod. "I can't lose you." She whispers into my shirt, and it feels as though my heart is breaking.

"You won't. Not ever, I promise." I don't even know what I'm saying, but it feels right, and I pull her into my lap to hold her. "You need to rest. I'll hold you until you go to sleep again?" I cradle her to my chest for nearly half an hour, before she drifts off to sleep again, and I lay her back beneath the covers. Using my phone I send a text message to Godric, and he returns quickly to knock on the door. We settle at the small table on the balcony, and delve back into conversation. It's nearly dawn before he leaves our room, and I lay down in just a pair of shorts with Sookie.

I watch her peaceful face as she sleeps, and marvel at just how amazing she is. It's almost as though she were made just for me.

The quiet sound of the window shutters reverberates through the house, and I let death take me, with her hand clutched in mine.

_**Sookie POV**_

Its pitch black when I wake up, but a motion sensor light kicks on next to the bed, and I smile when I feel Eric's hand holding mine.

His face is serene, and I know that having Godric back must be a huge relief to him. Curiously, I lift the sheet away from his chest, and begin to explore the planes of his musculature with my fingers. Despite the soreness in my entire midsection, I get out of bed, and get a shower. It amazes me, when I inspect where the bullet entered, and see that there is no remaining evidence of an injury.

When I come out of the bathroom, I lie back down next to Eric, and turn on the TV. As I see the time, it surprises me that it's so late in the afternoon, but I don't really mind. Looking back I realize that my schedule has been changing to match Eric's, and I wonder if it's because of the bond. Reaching inside, I grasp the bond lightly, and feel the odd muted sensation from him being asleep.

I watch a movie, until my stomach growls, and then I venture off to the kitchen in the house. One of the chef's there attends to me directly, and I eat breakfast despite the time. I'm nearly finished when Godric enters, and sets across from me. "Is it dark already?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"No, but at my age, it's no problem for me to get up before sunset. Eric will be up shortly, but I was hoping to speak to you in private." He sends a look to the others in the room, and almost instantly we're alone.

"Is everything alright?" I ask, and he smiles seemingly bemused.

"Yes, but there were a few things I'm concerned over. Eric told me of his suspicions on your lineage, and I agree with him. He also told me of Fintan, and I believe that you have the right to know the truth about him. I met a Fintan many years ago, and he is the son of the ruler of the fae, Niall Brigant." It takes a moment for the last name to register in my mind.

"So…how would that relate me to the fae if Fintan is only my uncle?"

"Well, the fae live for a long time. Several thousand years easily. I believe that Fintan is likely not your uncle, but one of your grandparents, and that will present a problem. You see the fae are very possessive and protective of their kin, and when Fintan realizes where you've been, he will try to claim you for Niall's crown. If his claim is accepted, then you could be taken to the fae realm against your will." The gravity of what he's saying hits me, and I can't help the slight tears that well up into my eyes. "But we can prevent this. If you and Eric are fully bonded, then Niall would not be able to take you away without causing you immeasurable physical pain. The blood bond created by a vampire is not just mental, it's physical. You've noticed a change in your body's schedule, haven't you?" I nod, and he smiles. "That is the bond making you closer to Eric. It's natural, and if Niall were to take you to another realm then the distance would cause you real physical agony. I doubt he will do that to you though. Niall has always been a ruthless leader, but he has an incredible soft spot for his family. So if the bond is complete before you go home, then I imagine that you will be able to stay."

I nod, taking everything in, and wait a moment before responding. "What does the bond mean in the eyes of vampires?"

"Amongst the supernatural world, a blood bond is a sacred thing. If I were to interfere with you and Eric, when you're fully bonded, he would have every right to kill me. That's how a blood bond works. It's the ultimate form of protection." I nod, and strange tingling warmth spreads through me. "Eric's awake." He says quietly, and I can feel him getting closer.

A moment later he's over my shoulder, and leaning in to give me a kiss. I'm surprised by the public display, but I don't mind, and kiss him back eagerly. "Having a nice chat?" He asks, and sets down next to me.

"Yes." Godric says, "We were just talking about the significance of a bond. I told her about Fintan and Niall as well." Eric face says it all, and I can tell he wanted to tell me everything himself.

"What do you think?" Eric asks me, and I smile.

"I want to complete the bond with you tonight." He grins, and pulls me in for another kiss. Godric clears his throat after a moment, and Eric gets a sheepish look on his face. "But I want to go home soon though. Fintan needs to know everything, and I want him to understand that I'm not leaving you for anything in the world." A strange look crosses his face, and I'm about to question him, when someone comes in.

"Sir, there's someone here to see you." The girl looks scared, as though he might punish her.

"Who is it?" Godric presses and the girl glances at me, before returning her attention to him.

"It's…Vampire Queen Sophie Anne. She said she's here to commend you on getting home safely, and to speak on business."

Eric takes my hand and stands, prompting me to do the same. "I'm going to take her to our room, and we'll be out shortly." The elder vampire nods, and we walk away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

"The queen is here, and likely it's because of you." Eric says when were back in the room. "She wants you and she won't stop unless were fully bonded." I get what he's saying, and nod, pulling him toward the bed.

In the end, we take a lot longer than necessary.

As we exit our room, I pull at my dress, adjusting it slightly. "You look fine." He reassures me, but I don't stop fidgeting as we make our way to the main room of the house. When we get there, it's a surprise to see the queen and Godric, along with multiple others lounging around the living room. He's alone on a large couch, and Eric directs me towards it.

Sophie Anne's eyes light up when she sees me, and she turns her attention to Eric. "I see what all the whispers are about. Word had it that you had a new interest, and now I see why." I sit down next to Godric, and he takes the spot on my other side.

"This young girl is the reason I escaped the Fellowship church." Godric says, and the queen smiles.

"I suppose we should reward her then, yes?" Godric shakes his head, and I speak up without thought.

"It wasn't a problem. I was happy to help my bonded find his maker." I lean into Eric, and he puts an arm around me with a smug grin. Her left eye twitches, and I know that this isn't what she was expecting.

"Bonded?" She asks, and her voice is just slightly higher pitch than normal and I can tell she's strained to hold back. The man I recognize as Andre is sitting next to her, and he's staring at me murderously.

"Yes, had you not heard?" Godric asks, and I wonder what he's doing. "They are bonded mates. I had planned to call Eric to me with her soon, so that I could give my blessing in person, but then the trouble with the Fellowship happened. Either way, they ended up here, and I'm happy to have them around." He looks over at one of the staff people, who steps forward and hands him something wrapped in cloth. "Sookie, would you please give this to Eric?" He hands it to me, and I pass it along, without knowing what it was.

Eric sighs, giving Godric a funny look, before sitting up straight. "Sookie, I accept your declaration of the pledge, and promise to protect and take care of you forever." Sophie Anne looks furious, but restrains herself, and only glares at me.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Northman." Stan says from behind us, and I jump since I hadn't known he was there. Glancing back I see that both he and Isabel are present, along with a few others. They seem to be relaxed, but I can feel an edge in the air. I look back at Sophie Anne, who's looking at Godric, and Eric squeezes my hand in his.

"This is an outrage!" She says suddenly, standing up. Andre stands with her, and Godric rises to meet her challenge. "That human was completely unclaimed as of two weeks ago, and as your queen I demand you hand her over to me!" She's staring at Eric, but I feel like Godric was the intended target.

He takes a step forward, and she shrinks slightly, but doesn't back down. "That girl is mine, and I am not afraid to call in the Authority on this."

"Then do it." Eric says standing, and pulling me up into his side. "I'll tell them all about Bill Compton coming to my area, without my consent, to procure a human for you."

She lunges forward, trying to get to me, and suddenly she's being held up in the air by her throat. Godric's voice is full of authority, "I am the king of this state, and you will abide by my rules for as long as you are here. Now stop." He throws her back onto the couch, and she stands back up, obviously shaken.

She looks at Andre, who didn't move during the entire encounter. "We are leaving." He follows her out the front door, and Stan follows a moment later to make sure they're gone.

"Thank you." I say, when Godric turns back toward us.

"Child, I made Eric over a thousand years ago. In all this time, never have I seen him this happy. I promise you that I will do everything I can to keep you together. That's why I pledged you two." He smiles, and a wave of love hits me from Eric.

"What does that mean?" I ask Eric, and he smiles.

"It's a form of union, and it's an old vampire custom. In the eyes of vampires we are sort of…married." I stare at him with my mouth hanging open for a moment, before the room sways slightly. The soreness in my stomach gets stronger, and Eric pulls me up into his arms. "You need to rest." He tells me, and Godric smiles at us.

"Take her to get comfortable, and come talk with me when you can." Eric nods, and before I can protest he's carrying me back to the room.

I change clothes, and get comfortable in the bed before turning the TV on. "I'm going to go talk to Godric, but I'll be back soon." He kisses me, and leans in close to whisper in my ear. "I am proud to have you for my wife." Then he's gone.

After turning the TV down I get lost in my own thoughts. So many things happening in the same day have my head spinning. Oddly enough though, right in the middle of it, I start to wonder what Gran would think. Would she like Eric? Or would she fear him? I decide after a while that with the way he treats me, she would like him, and I hope she would accept what I did.

I quickly realize that I don't regret my actions in the least, and that he's the only one I want to be with. I hope that Jason will accept him eventually, and maybe even Sam and my friends.

For nearly two hours, I lay in bed, simply contemplating everything that will change when I get home. Eric hasn't come back yet, and I'm getting tired, so I turn the TV off. Just as I close my eyes, I hear the door opening, and squint through the darkness. "Eric?" I ask, and suddenly a piece of cloth covers my mouth.

I don't even have time to panic before darkness consumes me.

When I wake up, I'm shocked to find myself tied up in the backseat of a car, and I look to the driver's seat to see Andre sitting there. "Don't worry, it'll all be over soon." I whimper when he hits a hard bump, and my abdomen hurts. "We're going to take care of that pesky bond, and then you'll be all mine."

We drive for a while longer, and despite my best efforts, I can't seem to grasp the bond. It's as though someone has put a fog into my mind, and I lay there helplessly.

The drive continues for a short while, before we pull up somewhere, and Andre drags me to my feet outside the car.

After some effort I get the tape off my mouth, and I immediately start. "You can't do this. Eric will kill you.

He secures it back on, and starts pulling me toward a large warehouse building. When we get inside, I see that it looks almost like a little office, and the secretary waves us through. We go down a hallway, and into a small room with the type of bed that psychiatrists use pushed up against one wall. A woman smiles at me, and Andre grumbles. "I need the bond removed from her, and now." After being instructed to do so, Andre lays me down on the bed, and holds me down as the woman starts to move her hands in the air over my body.

"I don't think it will be a good idea." She says, and Andre growls.

"What do you mean?" He demands, and she sighs.

"She's something other than human. I don't know what she is, but the magic in her is strong. It's so intertwined with the bond that to remove the bond might end up killing her."

Andre curses for a moment, before growling and pulling out his cell phone. It sounds like Sophie Anne on the other end, and I can tell she's angry about the bond. Its only when she screams the last part in rage that I hear her clearly.

"If you can't break the bond, then make a new one! Turn her!" Terror washes through me as he hangs up the phone, and smiles at me demonically.

"Leave us." He orders the woman, and she does. "You're never going to see that damn Northman again." I hear his fangs drop, and suddenly everything is in slow motion.

In my mind I see my future with Eric dissolving. I'll live a tortured life as a vampire, and never be able to fight it. My anger builds up, and suddenly the fog in my mind clears. I feel as though my hands are on fire, but somehow I know it's a good thing, and I let whatever it is consume me. The bond is open again, and a kind of pure rage that I've never experienced before washes over me. I know it's Eric, and I grab onto the bond, holding it close as though I'm pulling him to me. _I'm here._ I say the words in my mind as though he might hear them, and all I want is for him to be with me. I feel the ropes binding my hands fall away, and the fire in my palms grows.

I don't how, but suddenly I'm aware of exactly what I need to do.

Pulling at the bond again, I ask for strength, and that's exactly what I get. A thousand years of strength courses straight to my hands, and a white light explodes into the room. Andre flies back, crashing through the door and destroying part of the wall on the way. Another dose of power hits me, and it's like the light is burning completely through me. I scream Eric's name, and with a popping sound he's suddenly there, ripping Andre apart. The force of whatever I've done is weighing on me all at once, and I feel frozen. A hint of concern manages to shine through the rage in the bond when I slump against the couch. I can feel exhaustion pulling my eyes shut, but I force myself to stay awake, and watch as Andre dissolves into a puddle.

Then Eric is lifting me into his arms, and I bury my face into his neck. "I'm here." I whisper, and he nods.

"I heard you the first time." He says, and I don't know why, but it seems like that is important.


End file.
